“AN APATHETIC PUBLIC”

Evening Star, Issue 23678, 11 September 1940, Page 8

“AN APATHETIC PUBLIC”

PRESS ALSO ADMONISHED PATRIOTIC COUNCIL CRITICAL Press and public were subjected to more or Jess severe criticism m regard to what was described as their apathy in connection with the big effort now being made by the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council at yesterday afternoon's meeting, over which the mayor (Air A. H. Alien) presided. Air A. Barnett, in submitting the report of the Queen Carnival Committee, expressed regret that the enthusiasm which had marked the queen carnival effort of 1914-15 was apparently lacking on the present occasion, amThe was unable to understand the apathy of the public, particularly in view of the object for which the money was being raised. The movement was not getting the loyal support of the Dunedin people, said .Mr Barnett, and it seemed to him that they did not yet appreciate the importance of the object, and it was an urgent necessity that they should be so impressed. He was not at all worried about the progress or the ultimate outcome of the appeal in the country districts of the province, he said, but he was much concerned about it in the city. A beginning had been made last Friday, but it was not the success it was expected to be, and he was at a loss to understand why. The plain fact of tho matter was that they were unable to create an atmosphere of the kind that prevailed during tire queen carnival etfort of 1915. “ People are too ready to question everything. They want to know why wo are not sending Spitfires to England,” he continued; “ Others suggest that the matter of rehabilitation is the Government’s job. Honestly, I do not know what wo are coming to. Perhaps it is my own fault. Perhaps a vigorous and full explanation of the need for such funds and tho specific purposes for which they are required should be made by the central body.” RIGHT ATMOSPHERE NEEDED. Mr J. Hogg supported the views expressed by Air Barnett. The public. He thought, were engrossed at the moment with the more serious aspect of the fierce conflict that was being waged in the Old World, and .the impending intensification of the hostilities in Egypt. Yet this very aspect, said Air Hogg, should bring home to the people the necessity that would eventually arise for large sums of money for the purpose of assisting the soldiers and their dependents. The fault did not lie with Mr Barnett’s committee, which was doing splendid work. The speaker added that he felt sure that if the right atmosphere was created the people would respond. Air J. Ritchie said that something of the same conditions as had been mentioned as existing in town were in evidence in the country, but in the Vincent zone the committee was endeavouring to let the people know what the whole thing was for. There was no need to bo discouraged, however; everything would come right, said the speaker. Mr J. AI. White also stressed the necessity for bringing home to the people the seriousness of the effort. • He pointed out that the Patriotic Association after the last war had distributed over £29,000 for clothing alone. TRANSPORT COMMITTEE CRITICISED. Air Barnett mentioned that during the 1915 effort there had been a tramways queen, and the traniwaymen had been most enthusiastic. This time, however, the Transport Committee had not allowed the tram men to sell tickets while on duty. That did not help the movement.

Mr H. L® Gibson said that the Transport Committee had no objection personally, but the public convenience had to be considered a« well as the convenience of the men. There were objections to selling tickets to passengers on cars, and these objections had to be considered, as were objections to the holding of Sunday concerts. Mr D. C. Cameron pointed out that -the trading departments of the City Corporation were all sympathetic to the movement, as was proved by the fact that some had donated prizes. Mr W. R. Clarke expressed surprise that permission to sell carnival tickets on the trams had been withheld. There had not been any such restrictions on the former occasion. As for Sunday concerts, there might be one or two objectors, but the more important effort of raising money for the soldiers should sweep these aside. The Mayor said that the apathy on the part of the public was not peculiar to Dunedin, it was the same all over the Dominion, and it was a matter of overcoming it. Anything the City Council could do would be done. COMPLAINTS AGAINST PRESS. The Mayor went on to say that he felt that, so far, the Press had not done its share in giving publicity to the movement as a whole. How much space did they devote to the meetings of the Patriotic Council? And even the reports that were given were not of an enthusiastic nature! It was a question whether greater efforts should not be made to stir the Press to enthusiasm. Perhaps if a committee were formed to co-operate with the Press' and endeavour to get it to give the reports bold headlines, an improvement might be shown. The speaker added that he was sorry to have to stress the, matter of the apathy of the public and the Press, but the object of the appeal deserved to be more strongly, supported. Mr J. Bennetts thought that bettor use might be made of the Press. The committee’s report was adopted. FINANCE. Mr Edgar Hazlctt, submitted the report of the Finance Committee, which showed accounts for payment amounting to £7OB, of which £O2l was for wool. The hon. treasurer (Mr R. A. Johnston) reported the total collections to August 31 to be £33,983; the expenditure for August £1,041; the investments at that date £IB,OOO, and the net balance in hand £7,806. The administration and general expenditure amounted to 2.8 of the total collection. SPECIAL STREET DAY, Mr J. Hogg, convener of the Appeals Committee, submitted his report. The sum gathered so far, he said, was approaching £40,000, and amounts were coming in steadily. A special effort was to be made next Friday, which would be a street day. In addition to the ordinary collection there would be other attractions, including a parade of school Cadets, bands, and, he hoped, the queens, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Activities would begin at 7.30 a.m. and continue until 5.30 p.ra., after which the commercial travellers would come in. Almost every women’s organisation in the city was assisting, and there would be 200 to 300 of their members in action that day. The proceeds were to bo divided between the two city queens, i

GENERAL. Tho Mayor expressed the opinion that further effort should be made in the direction of receiving contributions from business concerns. Bigger individual contributions were necessary if the objective was to be attained. The report was adopted. Mr H. L. Gibson reported on the activities of tiie Publicity Committee, and Messrs J. Bennetts (Tuapeka) and J. Ritchie (Vincent) gave a resume of the work of the committees in their respective districts. . A motion expressing appreciation of the efforts of the country districts was carried. , STRONGLY RESENTED NAVY QUEEN SUB-COMMITTEE HITS BACK Indignation at the tone of the remarks passed by Mr Arthur Barnett and the mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) at yesterday’s meeting of the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council was expressed this morning by Mr A. A. Pape, chairman of the Food Group Sub-committee of the Navy Queen Committee. Mr Paape described the remarks as “ croaking,” and in quite the wrong spirit, adding that they gave very little encouragement to enthusiastic workers, and were certainly not likely to produce a beneficial response from a public described as apathetic. Oqr subcommittee, and all the other sub-com-mittees, working for the Navy Queen have only one aim—that is to see that the white pennant gets on top and stays there, Mr Paape declared. The Navy Queen Committee has appointed six" sub-committees which have been appointed to work among various sections of the community which is supporting the Navy Queen,'and the food group, of which Mr Paape is the chairman embraces licensed and private Ixotels, boardinghouses, tea rooms, restaurants, milk bars, bakers, pastrycooks, confectioners, grocers, cooked food shops, butchers, freezing works, and fish shops, a large section indeed. The district embraced is from Mosgiel to Port Chalmers, and includes the Peninsula, and it has been divided into 14 zones, each zone having an active little band of workers operating.

rl They are all working very hard indeed,” said Mr Paape, “ and they are showing remarkable enthusiasm. We have distributed so far 1,700 books of tickets in the raffle for the house, but it is, of course, far too early to .know just how these are selling,, apart from having a knowledge that a lot of tickets have been sold. The workers of the other five sub-committees display the same enthusiasm, and I can state that the Navy 'Queen Committee and its workers are extremely keen. “ In view of that we take very strong exception to the tone of the remarks made by Mr Barnett and the mayor. That is a poor sort of acknowledgment of the hard practical work we have all been putting in. The remarks are purely and simply croaking,” said Mr Paape, “ and they are decidedly the wrong sort of thing to say. “We know times:are hard, and that people have had many calls on their pockets. We are doing our best, to work up an enthusiasm to support the Navy Queen, and we are getting that enthusiasm. And just as we are getting it Mr Barnett howls out that the public is not supporting the carnival.'’ Mr Paape added that the keenness of his sub-committee and of the other sub-committee would not be dampened by an'unfortunate outburst. “If we' can put the Navy Queen on top, we shall,” _he said, “ and we know we are going to get the full support of those whose votes will'put her there.” NEWSPAPERS THANKED FULLEST GO-OPERATiON BETWEEN OFFICER AND PRESS When this matter was referred to Mr L. H. Prude, who is the publicity oofficer for the queen carnival executive, he stressed the point that, so far as he was concerned, .he had no complaint to make in any shape or form regarding-the sympathetic response being made by the Press. “ The amount of free publicity given the queen carnival,” said Mr Prude, “ has-set a new standard in Press co-operation. In today’s Press the queen carnival in particular and the Patriotic Council in general have considerable spaced—space wdiich to the papers is valuable.” Mr Prude went on to say he had one paper before him in which there wore no fewer than 13 bold headings, and all at top of, columns, given to queen carnival matters.

When asked if he thought the time was opportune to fully explain the rehabilitation aspect of the appeal, Mr Frude, who is a returned soldier, said ho thought that some authoritative statement in plain everyday language should be made at the first opportunity. “ At the Queen Carnival Revue tonight Mr S. Cameron will deal with this question, and I understand his statement will help to clarify the position, Mr Frude stated. “ I consider it is not the responsibility of the queen carnival executive to undertake any public statement regarding the rehabilitation aspect,” he went on. “In conclusion,” he added, “ the point I wish to make clear is that so far as the queen carnival executive is concerned no avenue of publicity is being neglected, and the fullest co-opera-tion of the Press has been established". I would like to take this opportunity of thanking the managements, editorial, and other staffs of the newspapers for the very willing way in which they have come forward and helped. As I am associated with newspaper advertising, I want to make it clear that no misunderstanding has been allowed to creep in regarding the co-operation between the Press and the advertising firms of Dunedin.