SHOULD HE UPBRAID

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17031, 3 May 1923, Page 6

SHOULD HE UPBRAID

A CRITICAL ROTARIAN. CHRISTCHURCH CLUB HIBERNATING. (Special to the “Star. s ’) AUCKLAND, May 1. The Christchurch .Rotary Club came in for some criticism by yesterday’s speaker at the weekly luncheon of the Auckland Rotary Club. Mr W. D. Munn, an Auckland business man, whose interests require him to travel as far south as Dunedin, was the speaker, his address being on “ Rotary in the South.” After describing the fine Rotary Club that was established in Dunedin some time ago, Mr Munn had this to say of the club in the Cathedral City; “ In Christchurch they have some exceptionally fine men in the club, and the addresses given were full of interest. The club had taken up the boy’s welfare work, and directed a camp early in the year. Following on this Professor Shelley gave a very striking address on ‘ The Psychology of the Boy,’ in the course of which lie read three of the essays written by the boys, illustrating three distinctly different mentalities. Two weeks were taken up with a study of the economic situation, introduced by Professor Condiiffe. The Westminster Glee Party were present on one occasion while I was there, when Mr Branscombe gave a talk on Old English part singing, which was illustrated at the close by the party rendering three of their pieces. “ They have, of course, in the Christchurch Rotary Club, similar rules to ours with regard to regularity in attendance, punctuality, etc., but I am afaid that the members are not kept up to it as they should be. For instance they have a -Sergeant-at-Arms, but during the six weeks that I was there in atendanoe, he was not called on once. They have not taken up the idea of the members adopting Rotarian names, such as we do, for instance, ‘ Rotarian Jim ’ etc. “ When I asked the secretary the reason for this, lie replied that he did not think it would do for Christchurch. Another thing that surprised me, was the entire absence of any mention of the club or its work in the Christchurch papers. When T drew attention to this at one of the meetings, the president stated that the committee. after giving the matter some thought and very serious consideration, decided that it would not be in the best interests of tlie club to have its meetings reported in the press. “With all due deference to the fine men who are directing the Christchurch Club. I am afraid that by deleting some of the features which differentiate a Rotary Club from others, they have failed to secure that wholehearted interest which is so necessary to continued success. Ido not think, that I am giving away a secret when 1 say that their secretary is discouraged at the lack of interest of many of the members, who seem to look upon it merely as a pleasant way of spending an hour once a week. To my astonishment. the secretary told me that many members even failed to take the trouble to read the weekly notes he was at some trouble to prepare.” Speaking about the Wellington Rotary Club, Air Munn said : “ Being only a couple of days in Wellington I was only able to attend one meeting, but it was sufficient to show me that they were a real live crowd there, and had evidently made up their minds that a man must show a lively interest in the club or pay up. For being absent without notice for two consecutive luncheons, one member was fined os, two others for single failures 2s 6d each. They may be slightly overdoing the penalty business, but better that than suffer indifference, for, if a man is not prepared to take up the work seriously. then, ’twere better for him to stand down and make room for one who will.”