Budgeting at Wairoa

Te Ao Hou, 1971, Page 55

Budgeting at Wairoa It has long been acknowledged that within any community there are public-spirited people who do their fellow citizens great service without ever receiving any publicity. They sacrifice their time and devote their energies to meeting the lot of the more unfortunate members of their community with no thought of any reward except the satisfaction of providing a needed service. From the Tairawhiti district comes a report of such an organisation. The Wairoa Home Budgeting Society has been in existence just a little over 12 months. Led by the active Mayor of Wairoa, Mr R. E. Shortt, with his vigour, the organisation includes public accountants and company managers, as well as other prominent citizens, both Maori and Pakeha, from the Wairoa Borough and Country areas. While it was originally intended to assist with the home budgeting of local families, especially where the need was urgent, now after 12 months of activity, the society is branching out and extending its scope, endeavouring to influence the community in better living generally. Projects like encouraging pre-school services, greater participation of parents in school activities, more active involvement in community functions, a wider Christian outlook — all these fields will be explored by the society as a general effort to make the citizens of Wairoa more able to help themselves and others. It is not contended that Wairoa has produced something unique in New Zealand society, but it is suggested that their efforts and their success could be an inspiration to other communities who feel that they have a need of some such organisation, but have not been able to organise themselves into such an active body.