MANY TURNED AWAY

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1934, Page 7

MANY TURNED AWAY

INTEREST IN THE FRIENDLY ROAD. GATHERING AT NEW PLYMOUTH. The numbers turned. away last night from the New Plymouth Opera House, where crowds gathered to meet the visiting officials of the Friendly Road radio station, Auckland, were sufficient testimony to the strong and widespread hold the station has obtained on the affections of listeners-in. The Rev. F. Copeland, as a representative of the Ministers’ Association, extended a welcome to the visitors.

“Uncle Tom,” Mr. T. Garland, introduced Mrs. Scrimgeour and Mrs. Garland and led the song service which he interspersed with anecdotes about children with whom his work was mainly associated. They felt they were doing something for the young people, he said, and they hoped to be able, to do much more.

Applause greeted the announcement by Mr. S. Walker that though a collection was to be taken the officials desired that no money should go out of the town and that the surplus, after expenses had been paid, should be devoted to the Christmas fund of unemployed workers.

The occasion was vei-y happy for her, said “Aunt Daisy,” Mrs. D. Basham. Though she was generally heard lapghing, this was a rather emotional time, for she was coming back to the town which was like home to her and where she had known so much kindness. Though she had not come out in the Amelia Thompson, which was in those days a criterion for judging the real New Plymouth citizens, she had been warmly treated there, and now she came back the friendliness shown her had given her something to remember during the vicissitudes of life. She recalled incidents of the old days when a train ran through Devon Street, before motorcars had taken the place of bullock drays. She urged everyone to try to lead a simple and contented life as the pioneers had taught their children to do. “Uncle Scrim,” the Rev. Scrimgeour, thanked everyone for coming and various individuals who had taken pains to ensure the success of the meeting. He emphasised his belief that the new strange world of to-day was full of hopeful signs and better than any before it. People often worried about the attitude of youth, but he thought there were fine things within them, and they were taking an intelligent interest in all forms and sections of life.

There were still old, disgraceful barriers of prejudice in the world which had no right to exist, but they were slowly breaking down. Time and distance had been eliminated by means of air transport and wireless. On account of the conquest of space people and nations would learn that they must be friendly with each other. The closer contact would help understanding and war would be a thing of the past. America was preparing for a “new deal,” and he thought that for New Zealand, too, a new deal by which unhappiness should be destroyed was not far away. But the new deal would do more. It would bring people to the realisation of God and of themselves as part of a great cosmic law operating all around them. “Uncle Tom” thanked the orchestra that had offered its help and said New Plymouth was lucky to have so magnificent a choir.