PUBLICITY SCHEME

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19943, 30 October 1934, Page 11

PUBLICITY SCHEME

FURTHER STEP IN CAMPAIGN MEETING OF COMMITTEE A further step towards putting into operation the publicity campaign, recently outlined in Timaru by Mr G. G. Stewart, publicity manager, New Zealand Railways Department, was taken last night, when a meeting of the Timaru Publicity Committee was held. The Committee, which is composed of the Publicity Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and representative citizens, adopted concrete proposals and arrangements for immediate action were made. Present: Messrs G. H. Andrews (chairman), G. D. Virtue, E. Howden. E. Darvoch, A. M. Parker, W. M. Sexton, G. Benstoad, J. R. Hart, A. Wotherspoon, H. Lomas, H. Dobie and J. M. Jenkins (hon. secretary). The chairman extended a welcome to new members, whom he thanked for their willingness to assist. Very gratifying offers of assistance had been received, including offers from adjacent towns. Mr Andrews expressed pleasure at the very substantial help received from the Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite) and councillors. Mr G. G. Stewart, publicity manager of New Zealand Railways, during his address in Timaru recently had given as his considered opinion that Timaru was a splendid asset to advertise and had many unique attractions as a holiday resort. It remained for the committee to take advantage of the facilities offered. Froposals for Campaign. Mr G. G. Stewart, publicity manager of the Railways, wrote stating that the concrete proposal in connection with the campaign was that the committee should find £250 and that this sum should be supplemented by the Railways Department to the extent of one-third. The campaign, briefly, would be handled in the following way: 10,000 copies of a booklet 9in x Bin, with eight pages well illustrated and designed, would be distributed; fifteen 20ft x 10ft hoardings to be displayed in good positions in principal localities; 2,000 copies of a fourcolour poster of double-demy size to be distributed: screen advertising in the principal theatres of the main centres; advertising in the principal newspapers to the extent possible as covered by the limits of the contract after providing for the above matters. The proposals were accepted and confirmed. Canvassing Programme. The sub-committee appointed to formulate a programme of canvassing made the following recommendations: (a) Circularise local bodies, clubs, associations, hotels and business firms; (b) follow up with a personal canvas. The sub-committee had decided to send a letter to the Timaru Borough Council asking for co-operation in the scheme. Mr Sexton reported that the subcommittee had no doubt that the £125 to be raised by canvass was well within sight. Members de'sired to stress the point that the programme should be proceeded with immediately and with great energy, so that the Railways Department could put the campaign into operation as soon as possible. The chairman said that he took it that should more than the required amount be raised, the Railways Department would subsidise the total amount. The sub-committee’s report was adopted. Borougli Council’s Offer. The Town Clerk (Mr E. Killick) advised that the Borough Council had decided to contribute one-third of the cost of the scheme for advertising up to £125. If the scheme did not cost £375, the contribution would not be as much as £125 but only one-third of the actual cost, whereas if. the scheme cost more than £375 the contribution was limited to £125. The Council’s offer was accepted and appreciation was expressed of the Council’s generous action. The chairman pointed out that with the Borough Council’s donation and the Railway Department’s subsidy, the committee would have to raise £125. Question of Adjacent Districts, The Town Clerk wrote advising that a letter had been received by the Mayor from Mrs A. E, Gillingham, secretary of the Hospitality Circle of the Fairlie Women’s Institute, which placed in detail the attractions of Fairlie and the manner in which accommodation could be arranged, A reply had been forwarded stating that the letter would be placed before the committee in control of the campaign. The Temuka Progress League, wrote suggesting that, as the interests of Timaru and Temuka in respect of a publicity campaign were to a certain extent identical, a conference between the publicity committee and members of the Temuka Progress League might be arranged. The chairman said that the committee had given Mr Stewart to understand that, besides advertising Timaru as a health and holiday resort, attention should be paid to the town as a commercial and distributing centre. Mr Virtue said that if the adjacent towns contributed so much money towards expenses, a relative amount of publicity in the booklets would be expected. Several members considered that the campaign should deal with Timaru and the surrounding districts, not with South Canterbury as a whole. The attractions in the manner of towns and the scenic attributes adjacent to Timaru should be set out in a portion of the booklet. Mr Dobie said that it was imperative that the attractions adjacent to Timaru should be included in the campaign. They should undertake to give intending visitors all the information possible in regard to transport to and location of sporting and scenic attractions in the district. Mr Jenkins reported that Mr Stewart had given him to understand that the scheme was to concentrate on Timaru alone. If a universal scheme for South Canterbury was desired, the Railways Department could not undertake the work at the price quoted. A resolution was passed confirming the necessity of including reference to the district in the advertising booklets, and the information committee was empowered in this connection. Committees Appointed. Messrs E. Killick, E. Darroch, A. M. Parker, H. Lomas and W. M. Sexton were appointed an information committee to deal with the compilation of the booklet. Messrs R. J. Moyes, E. Howden, G. D. Virtue and P. W. Young were appointed a committee to organise the canvassing for donations. Messrs A. Wotherspoon, G. D. Virtue and the conveners of the information and canvassing committees were appointed an emergency committee. The Minister of Internal Affairs advised that, subject to restrictions in the Gaming Act, favourable consideration would be given to the institution of an art union for the purpose of raising funds to assist in the publicity campaign. It was decided to defer consideration of the proposal.