LACK OF INTEREST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 45, 5 February 1943, Page 5

LACK OF INTEREST

LOCAL BUSINESSMEN CRITICISED IN DIFFERENT Tjf) PATRIOTISM "I am ashamed of this meeting for a start," said' Mr F. B. Cutler at the public meeting called 1 last Tuesday evening by the Mayor to consider ways and meanis of raising the town's Patriotic quota for 1943. "In the face of the. feelings of relief with which we have heard the changing tide of war news, I thought we would have had a crowded meeting. It's an absolute scandal to look round the table and see so few." Mr Cutler went on to say that, it did not. serve any good purpose to admonish the people who were present. He wanted to get at those who had failed to show any interest. In a town like Whakatane there should, have been at least 50 or 60 businessmen present. He had in mind large business concerns with big interests and Avho had made substantial turnovers from the town. It was up to the li'ke of these lirms to show their interest by at least assisting in the (town's patriotic obligations. To have a meeting like this, which was supposed to represent the peoples effort towards the next war quota was nothing short of disgraceful. He could vouch for the fact that there was no poverty in ithis town or cases in need of relief and yet when it came to setting about raising money for the prosecution of the war only sonic twenty people found it convenient to turn, up.

The Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, who presided said that it was not so much the lack of interest on the part of businessmen, which prevented them attending but the. fact, that if they did so, they would be harnessed Avith a job.