"AWAKE WHAKATANE"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 47, 9 February 1945, Page 3

"AWAKE WHAKATANE"

Sir, —While delivering a funeral ovation over the bodies of men. who had died fighting for Athens,, Pericles. made this statement: "We regard: those who take no part in public not as quiet, but as useless."" A paragraph'of yours in a recent ; issue anent. the. apathy of local business men in regard to public affairs called that statement of Pericles to mind. It is as true today as ever it was, but it applies not only to business men for political and social apathy is shared by all. Social progress depends on the co operation of all individuals. Democracy cannot lie attained by killing Germans, it is only possible if we consciously and energetically work for it. Complacency is the arch enemy of social progress, ami there are none so prone to complacency as a victorious people. Unless we watch our step all that men are dying for tocTay will destroyed and they will only Ue reiflpmbered with, the aid of ft few gold stone memorials.

Wha'katane has a . reputation, for apathy in the domain of. public af- ! fairs. The attitude, of mind of one proposed councillor is indicative of almost everybody. When he said "There is no money in it " lie used the social yardstick of a depreciate, civilisation. There is no money to be made fromDDemocracyy y the true? philanthropist is one who devotes his life to public affairs* and the social and economic betterment of the people.

By all means start a "Wake-up Whakatane" campaign. Jog the city fathers out of their for they* must take the lead. Let us have no more quibbling about children's but let them display their breadth of vision and imagination by discussing the question of ai

"Community Centre." Many towns*, in New Zealand have Community Centres now so the Council;, should have plenty of material on which to base their discussion.Whakatane is the business centre of a thriving district it ought £a be the cultural centre and "would be were men's minds not limited by the profit motive. Shackled by interest aryd profits to the eternal* grindstone we are unable to lift qui:/ eyes to the skies and understand tita freedom of the stars. Yours etc. S. MAYOW.