JUNIOR COMMERCE CHAMBER FOR LEVIN

Chronicle (Levin), 23 May 1946, Page 4

JUNIOR COMMERCE CHAMBER FOR LEVIN

INAUGURAL MEETING HELD - KEEN- ENTHUSIASM SHOWN v' " Promising to be o'ne of the most energe'tfc and influential organisations which has ever been formed in Levin, is the Junior Chamber of | Commerce. Ac a meeting held last j evening it was decided unanimousj ly to form «a chamber in Levin and } the main officers were appointed to !act until the first general meeting. Three members of the Wellington 'Chamber, Messrs. R. H. Beaumont, L M. Enting and H. W. Lintoct, igave outlmes of the history, aims j and objects of the organisation, and pointed out that Levin had many golden opportunities that other towns lacked. Those present at the - meeting iwere Messrs. D. J: Sweetzer, G. H. Sorenson, N. M. Thomson, I. S. Park, R. A. Frederikson, L. A. Humphrey, E. E. Tyrrell, H. J. Lines, R. A. Collins, W. T. Mayne, C. L. and H. S. Forster, J. P. Bertram, F. Will1 cox, R. S. and B. J. Antcliff, C.-M. Wallace, C. B. Greenaway and F. |H. Wade. Apologies for unavoid- ! able absence were received from I Messrs. G. H. Kerslake, J. Corry, K. jLynch, N. Thornley, F. Baumber, A. 'Shaw and JLTomlinson, R. Mcllraith, H. Black and B. Wilkinson. Mr. Sweetzer was elected president, Mr. Thomson vice-president {and Mr. Sorenson secretary. The chairman then introduced Mr. Beaumont, of the Wellington Chamber, who spoke interestingly jon the aims and objects of the j organisation. In defining the ' chamber he said it was a supplej mentary educational organisation jwherein young men of any com- , munity might join together in a ' friendiy spirit to inculcate civic | consciousness arnong its members by means of active participation in j constructive projects for the i improvement of the community | and the country as a whole. { Mr. Beaumont went on to define ! the aims and ob j ects of the organlisation as (a) to encourage and | provide an opportunity for young j men not exeeeding 40 years to j engage in the study and discussion 'of all commercial, industrial, civic, . financial, economic and educational | probiems; (b) to enable members I to develop qualities of citizenship j and of commercial leadership; (c) * to promote fellowship by bringing members more closely into contact ,with each other and with leaders of i commerce and industry; (d) to ' assist members to quality for positions on the council and on the .committee of the chamber; (e) to ! enable members generally to assist and collaborate with the chamber. Continuing, Mr. Beaumont said ! that the main differfence between | the seniors was that the older : chamber was interested in trade land commerce, while the juniors. j were interested in doing something • for the town in which they lived. {The Heritage movement had been slarted by Dr. Mazengarb and already 2000 children who had lost their fathers in the war had been taken care of by this movement, which was intent on the health, education and character training of the children. America had the largest Junior . Chamber organisation in the world " with 1200 chambers representing 250,000 people from all walks of life. Canada had the largest in the British Empire with between 70 and 80 Junior Chambers representing 100,000 persons. After Canada New : Zealand had the strongest Junior Chamber organisation in the British Empire, and was the most active t and virile. Mr. Enting, during the course of his talk, said that what a member gave the Junior Chamber he got i out of it, and the more he put in, : the more he got out. The first Junior Chamber had- been formed in Auckland 15 .years ago and except for a few ups and downs during i the depression, it had never looked back. He said that he saw in Levin ■ marvellous opportunities for the ' chamber, and he considered that a ■ room where mothers could leave 1 their children in capable hands 1 while shopping would _ be a start. 1 The Hutt Valley had' found the { need for something similar, and had raised £20,000 very easily and J ihe job had been done and done | effectively. It was then moved by Mr. Park j and seconded by Mr. Sorenson that a Junior Chamber of Commerce be formed ins this town forthwith. This was received enthusiastically .and unanimously agreed to bythe j meeting. It was decided to form all tnose | present into an interim committee. j A hearty vote of thanks was j extended to Mr. E. E. Tyrrell for the use of his office,^ ^and also to the three visitors from Wellington j ^'ho had helped in every way pos- : sible. i it was decided to hold the. .next | meeting at 7.30 p.m. on June 5- at Khe same place. ' ■