ROTARY CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 130, 1 March 1928, Page 6

ROTARY CONFERENCE

LARGE GATHERING AT PALMERSTON OFFICIAL OPENING Dominion Special Service. Palmerson North, February 29. A spirit ol conviviality marked the coinniviieeinent of the sixth annual conference ->( the Rotary Clubs of New .Zealand at Palmerston North this morning, when at the Palmerston Municipal Hall there gathered about 300 delegates, representing nearly every club in the Dominion. The proceedings were commenced with the -‘singing in” of each individual member present, after which the delegates were called to order by the District Governor, Mr. C. Rhodes. Ihe invocation was delivered by Mr. G. T. Brown (Palmerston North), and following further songs Mr. J. Murray, president of the Palmerston North Club, addressed the gathering, stating that in choosing Palmerston as the venue for their conlereuce, the Rotarians had honoured the local club. The town welcomed them with open arms. Appreciation was felt at the presence of the District Governor, of the Minister of Health (Hou. J. A. Young), and of the representatives from overseas, Messrs. G. Dennison (Honolulu) anti T. Purvis (Melbourne;.

The cotlference was officially opened by Mr. Young, who extended congratulations on the excellent attendance, on behalf ot the Prime Minister, who, through affairs of State, had been unable to be present himself. Mr. Coates, the speaker assured the gathering, was in sympathy with the Rotary movement. Mr.' Young also welcomed the overseas visitors. The world, he proceeded, was the richer lot the discovery and the inauguration of Rotary—a fact apparent in the literature of the organisation—lor, with its ideal of service before self —and not only in business—it must impart to international relations a spirit of good-will, which in turn, must reflect itself to the good ot national alfairs. Every good movement, he continued, was subject to criticism, and Rotary was no exception It had proved to be' of very material benefit to the country.

The Minister especially mentioned the effort made in Wellington which had resulted in such a material benefit to the children’s hospital at Melrose. Mr. Rhodes briefly expressed thanks to the Minister. Some time was then occupied with the announcements of clubs and attendances, each representative being greeted with one of the Rotary songs, after which the conference was addressed by the District Governor. Last year, slid Mr. Rhodes, there had been 16 clubs in New Zealand, which this year had been increased to 23, there being a total membership of 1050. It seemed, however, that Rotary was still somewhat of an inigma in the Dominion, for the feeling had been expressed by several towns where it had been proposed that a club should start, that these places were not yet readv (or such an institution. A town of 50'00 population, he considered, should be able to produce at least 45 differen classifications for Rotary, but at present perhaps, it might be as well to mark time and assimilate the clubs already inaugurated rather than that fresh organisations should be -started. At present, too, Mr. Rhodes proceeded, international relationship in New Zealand as far as Rotary was cuucenieu, was not satisfactory, and it was doubtful if Rotarians used all their opportunities in this respect, especially in regard to their welcome to foreign Rotarians. Thes peaker suggestedt hat if a form of correspondence was entered upon between members in New Zealand and members in other countries. Referring to the conference of Rotary to be held in Japan in the near future, he said there was no doubt that New Zealand should be represented. At the conclusion of this address the delegates spent some time in a "get together” interval aftei which the overseas delegates were accorded a specia welcome. On the conference resuming in the afternoon Mr. G. Denison, president of the Honolulu Club, delivered an address on “Rotary in its Relation to International Trade and Commerce.” The subject, he said, was particularly timely in that those who lived around the Pacific Ocean were undoubtedly on the eve of the greatest potential commercial development the world had ever witnessed, and it behoved this generation to engineer and stimulate these brilliant trade prospects. Trade at any point or place around the Pacific was bound to benefit New Zealand, as well as other islands of the Pacific, and the problems of trans-Pacific shipping, marketing, exchange, duties, free ports, anti-dump-ing foreign taxes, and laws were problems that'had to be faced together. All could be accomplished by becoming better acquainted, and this closer understanding could and would come largely through the influence of Rotary Conferences and conventions ol every nature should be encouraged in the Pacific, and in all which might be held the speaker believed those of Rotary to be the most effective and far-reaching, for there was something about the spirit of Rotary that brought about a _ closer bond of relationship- In addition to the fostering of Rotary conferences the speaker considered that serious thought should be given to organising a Rotan tour around the Pacific for the purpose of making good-will ''alls on neighbouring clubs. This suggestion had been discussed in Honolulu.

A general discussion was held on Mi. Denison’s address, after which Messrs. F. Ball (Gisborne) and J B. Wateis (Dunedin) delivered short addresses on the Rotarv topics of “Doubtful Practices in Trade and "Doubtful Practices in Professions,” each address being followed by a brief discussion.