INFLUENCE GROWS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19998, 25 July 1939, Page 14

INFLUENCE GROWS

SUPPORT FROM PUBLIC THIRTY THOUSAND CLUB I'M 'LL I‘ROOB A.U.UN AH RAD TIM BUTES TO OFFICERS The manner in which the organisaTion has won the confidence and support ct the public throughout. the district was a subject of gratified reference at the annual general meeting of the Gisborne Thirty Thousand Club, held last evening in the Borough Council chambers The occasion was taken to pay warm tributes to the chief executive officers for their work throughout the past year. In the absence of the Mayor. Mr. D. W. Coleman. M.P.. the chair was taken by Mr. Jas. Chrisp, chairman of tlie committee of the club.

Apologies' were received from Mrs. W. E. GofTe, Dr. H. Goulding Rice and Mr. ,T. A. Nicol.

Presenting the annual report, the chairman expressed thanks to the press for publishing the document, which, he pointed out, had been but a curtailed record of what had been done during the year.

Right from tiro inception c£ the club, Mr. Chrisp remarked, the gradual growth of support for the organisation from local bodies, semi-oflicial organisations and private individuals had been apparent. He had recently listed over 100 sources of donations and other assistance, and he realised that it would be difficult to enumerate them all in a report. Therefore he had expressed simply the thanks oi the club to all who had given aid throughout the year. Mr. Chrisp moved the adoption o? the report, which motion was seconded ibv Mr. B. S. Bree and carried unanimously. Substantial Contributions The statement of accounts showed £333 brought forward from last year, and income for the year bringing the total available to £554. The principal source of revenue was the Guy Fawkes’ night carnival at the Wnlkanae beach. The outgoings l'or the year totalled £409, including £123 in donations to the Waikanao Park funds The assets shown in the balance sheet totalled £174, including £3O worth of fireworks. A special account in respect of the Waikanao Park campaign fund showed total income £751. with an additional sum of £132 for the Waikanao marine drive nucleus. Various payments into the campaign account included £7'' from the City Hall fair, £67 IDs from the inter-house sports, £55 irem tne physical fitness week carnival, £65 from tire power boat regatta, £46 from the Springbok football art union, and £2BC from the beach carnival. Expenditure covered the whole of the revenue in the campaign account, f’-oiv. which £309 was made available for the Waikanao Park development scheme. Enlarging Club's Schedule The chairman briefly reviewed the figures and commented on the remarkable response of the public Io the various opportunities for supporting the club, at small fun.ctionst and largo. He mentioned that there were many lines of endeavour on which the club was working quietly. The Waikanao marine parade was a scheme on whicn much preliminary work had been done, and he hoped that finality would be reached at an early date as to the availability of the land for this drive. There were several other avenues still not fully explored, said Mr. Chrisp, but the chief objective at present was to make Gisborne’s contribution to the national centennial celebrations thoroughly creditable. Nothing the club could do to that end would be neglected. Mr. W. E. Mcllwaine suggested that the club should make a drive for an increase ‘in membership and for a sustaining subscription. The chairman stated that this was one question which the now executive would take up at its first meeting.' Mr. T. G. Johns remarked that the success to dale of the Waikanao marine drive fund was largely due to the work of Mr. A. J. Cox, and he deserved full credit for this. Officers for 1939-40 The chairman agreed warmly with this view. Mr. Cox had been an exceedingly valuable member of flit executive, and his efforts lor the marine drive were particularly praiseworthy. Nominations for officers for the ensuing year were only sufficient to li. tire vacancies in executive posts, the election of the nominees thus being automatic. They were: Patron, Mr. J. Chrisp; president, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P.; vice-president, Dr. 11. Colliding Rice; committee, Dr. A. L. Singer and Messrs. J. Chrisp, R. Morse, A. J. Nlcol. W. ,M. Jenkins, 11. R. Heiford, J. W. Fergic, T. G. Johns, J. J. Quiglcv, B. 3. Bree, J. 11. Hall, H. L. Primrose, M. J. White, H. B. Tyerman, K. R. Waite. A. J. Cox, W. E. Mcllwaine, T. A. N. Johnson, W. Keith, V. Venables, and W. Oakden; lion, solicitor, Mr. R. F. Gambrill; lion, auditor, Mr. C. A. Smith. The meeting recorded its thanks particularly to the hon. solicitor, the lion, auditor, and the press, on the motion of the chairman. Presentation to Secretary

The chairman urged ill members to give their fullest support to tile forthcoming Queen Carmvl and other functions which were being organised in preparation for the centennial year. He referred with regret to the impending loss of the secretary, Mr. \V. Oakden, whose work, he said, had been notably successful. Within six weeks of his appointment. Mr. Oakden had seen (lie finances climb from zero to a figure of hundreds of pounds, a climb which he had done much personally to achieve. His secretaryship had been of the utmost value to the club in many ways, apart from the financial side, said Mr. Chrisp, and his loss would be much felt. Mr. Chrisp congratulated Mr. Oakden on his appointment as welfare officer to the Cook Hospital Board, and on behalf of the club handed to Mr. Oakden a presentation of plate, as a memorial of his connection wiih the club as secretary.

Chairman’s Invaluable Enterprise

Acknowledging the presentation. Mr. Oakden stated that he had been happy to serve the club, and had done much loss than Mr, Clu lap had credited him with. The real credit,

he felt, should be tendered to Mr. Chrisp himself, who at times hajd carried on the secretary’s job by hintself and. moreover, had at nil times done more work than any officer or member. . “Mr. Chrisp is the man who lias given the club its strength. What would we have done without huh?’ asked Mr. Oakden. amidst applause. iMr. T. G. Johns seconded Mr. Oakden's remarks, and urged that appreciation of Mr. Chrisp’s work should be recorded in the minutes, a proposal which found general favour. Mr. M. T. White remarked that the donations made by the Gisborne Thirty Thousand Club to the W:\-~ kanne Park development funds, had been notably large. The extent to which the club had helped was not. fully realised by the public, and it would be of immense value in the future. At least two-thirds of the success achieved had been due to Mr. Chrisp. (Applause.)

This closed the business of the general meeting, and at a subsequent meeting of the committee Mr. ,<). Chrisp was re-elected chairman by unanimous vote.