ROTARY CLUB.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 11 December 1925, Page 5

ROTARY CLUB.

LUNCHEON INjMASTERTQN. INTERESTING ADDRESSES. At the Masterton Rotary Club’s luncheon, held in Hugo and Shearer’s- tear rooms yesterday afternoon, Rotarian 11. 13. Hart presided over a good attendance of members. Among the visitors present were Rotarian D. Hazel, of Lon4on, Rotarian 11. Amos (Wellington secretary), Rotarian C. E. Wheeler (WelJington), and Captain C. Free (India). HUMOUR. IX PARLIAMENT. Rotarian Wheeler, one of the bestknoiwn Parliamentary press correspondents iii New Zealand, was the speaker, and took for his subject, “Humour in Politics,” and in an interesting discourse on experiences and rcntiniscones, showedjthat the average politician was not aW. For those looking on,, a dose knowledge of standing orders was necessary to appreciate the humorous situations which frequently arose. The real humour caiue from an observance of the ingenuity adopted by minority rarties when engaging in a stonewall. ‘Organised humour, interruptions and fhe use of mixed metaphor were also de-adt with interestingly by the speaker, wh<s^traversed many, entertaining passages in election campaigns and in the House, both in Xew Zealand and England. Rotarian Wheeler kept his hearers in a continued simmer of mirth. A'VISITOR FROM EX-GLAND. Rotarian David Hazel, who is a loading London leather merchant, at present on a world tour, gave a few impressions of the Kotarv movement in the various countries which he has visited. JJe congratulated the Ma.sterton Club on the successful .start which it- had made, and stated that it was not often that towns in England with a population form n’rPib. Rotary, he said, had a stronghold in London, where live clubs were hardly sufficient to cope with those anxious to help. In the provinces clubs were being formed weekly. Too large .a membership, he thought, was not good for a club, as the members were as strangers to each other. England and Australia and New Zealand also had not yet attained the American ideal of the movement- they had not adopted that boisterous spirit of the American, but perhaps in later years they would practice Rotary principles along the samarines as their American friends. In the States their clubs were classed more ns self-help institutions. He had known of a case where a-member-had- failed in business, and his Rotarian brethren had assisted him back on his. ,fect. The English .movement was deeply engaged in «ocial work; There wasgipore poverty at. Home .than in the Dominions, and the movement had agencies which were working in the interests of the poorer classes, the boy«, and among the prisons. were very keen, as they believed fjpjt it would be a big factor In the future piface of the world in bettering mankind and in promoting a brotherly feeling towards others. It had •often been -said that trouble was brewing between the- United States and Japan, yet he had seen Japanese! welcomed in American Clubs quite as enthusi- " aetically as any other visitors. People In the Dominions hadquof- yet., realised what Rotary lil other couptries, mesuft. He assured'them that. ~tlte.,Americans, were a pe:vce.d.pyiug,nation,.,and it was .a long these- lines that they were wo iking to build up a brotherhood that, iir the course of years, would bring the na■fiows closer together with the ultimate •end of cementing a world-wide peace. (Applause.) “Now I, will say a little about Ragland. I am amazed at the tales' colonials are bringing out of England’s financial instability and the parlous condition’she is getting into. I have seen Interviews conveying absolutely wxoiig opinions of the Mother Land. Her finances sirejjbund, and though she is -passing though a serious phase m her Industrial history, she- will pull through.” said Rotarian Hazed. He added that he-had taken an active interest in England’s public life for 2d years, and he knew that she was not down and out, a;> many colonials had apparently been led to believe Horn zhe' superficial knowledge of public affairs they had gained in their, brief -sojourning through the United 1 Kingdom. England, he said, had been the workshop of the world, but when she. 'bad' lost the world’s markets for her manuftudtired, goods, vet still adopted a poficy of free trade, she was bound &o have unemployment. He reminded his hearers that half .of the population of England were voters, and two years ago, when the Government had asked for a mandate, the people had emphatically turned down the policy of protection. Protection, however, was be, Ung extended to embrace a 'few industries, and if further extended, he thought things would! gradually come right along these lines. Her finance was had. at present more -money thajphe could use in her inriustries, with the result that, considerable sums of capital were finding investment in New York, and much of this money was being reinvested from New York, and thereby giving that city the name of the world’s present 'lending centre. England had still plenty'oi money and plenty of energy, and only required time to right herself. The present * Government was wholly protectionist, the Labour Party was now adopting tihe same policy, and in a ifew years he had no doubts that a full protection policy would be enforced. There had been a- vast improvement -since September, and unemployment was decreasing in hopeful measure. He thought that much of the false impressions gained by colonials at Home was due to the reports and opinions circulated through the press. The- English papers had adopted the policy of painting things than they actually were, with thTidea of keeping the people up to concert pitch, so that they X

■'3SW*’ could fully realise the dangers that existed In their own country. The matter was read, and believed, and naturally had a similar effect on the minds of readers who had no real opportunity of peering under the surface and seeing' things in their true light. (Applause.) 'The speakers were accorded a 'hearty vote of thanks.