ADVANCE WESTLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1920, Page 4

ADVANCE WESTLAND

A PLEA. FOR CO-OPERATIVE ACTION.

(By P, R. Climie)

Now that fclio war is over, it lias become evident that whle men and guns were essential, it was leadership, ideals, and organisation that really won the war. It was spiritual working through the material that gave us the victory. Having played a prominent part in helping to shape the world’s destiny, New Zealand is now entering upon the most thrilling period of its history. We are faced with both inspiring opportunities and profound responsibilites. The strength of a nation is the composite strength of its urban and rural com inanities and tho strength of each communty is measured, not so much by the abundance of its natural resources, or by its position on tho map, as by its leadership, ideals and organisation. To community leadership we must look for much of the motive power which will guide this country into a new era of progress and liuminess happiness. Leadership is of two kinds, official and unofficial—it functions through Government departments and operates through citizens’ organisations. New Zealand is beginning to recognise the value of co-operative citizenship as already the large provinces throughout tho Dominion can boast of tho strides that are being made to advance their respective communities -by tho agency of “team work.” Unlike the game of politics, when one man must lose that another may win, community co-operation is essentially a game in which tho prospect of one man’s winning increases as others also win. A popular philosopher has illustrated this truth, in a story that runs something like this:—“One of three neighbours owed tbe second a pound, and the second also owed the third a similar amount. Taking a . pound from his pocket the first neighbour paid the second, and tho second passed it on to tho third, thus two pounds of debt had been liquidated and the pound was still in the neighbourhood, but a "greater wonder might have happened, for, if tho first neighbour had given the second a good idea, and he had passed it on to the third, all three would have been •possessed of it though it had travelled the same road tho pound did.” The public mind should be directed to the great fact that individual success is only made possible by the advance of the world. It is the “group progress” that makes individual progress easy. If the group were to stop, such as happened in China a thousand years ago, the progressive individual would bo left stranded. Individual citizens should therefore realise their dependance upon others, and the department they owe to their community and to.the advance of the age. How much would any of tbe large business concerns of Hokitika bo worth if the people of the town decided to movo away to some other place. All business firms, large or small could eminently afford to contribute nine-tenths of their capital towards preventing such a. catastrophe as the “trekking” of their own community.

Yet, history, is a record of the and fall of towns and cities far greater in their day than any New Zealand town. Babylon, Athens ,Rome, Florence, Pompeii and many others, should teach us the folly of depending wholly upon tho material forces to maintain communities. It is therefore man-kind that builds cities and tears them down again whether they he in the Soudan, in Belgium, in Serbia on tho Coast or elsewhere. A community should therefore think progress, should be guided by its optimists, should value constructive men more than destructive ones, should have a clear conception of the demands and possiblities of future growth and above all should have the courage to livo up to the great ideals of citizenship.

In every district of tho land there should lie some organised centre of community leadership where the clearestheaded and most patriotic citizens may exert their influence for tho common good. Just think for one moment of the Westland that might he if the people were all united upon a programme of rational advancement, if the wisest of the local leaders were all heading for certain fixed points to be reached in a given period of time. Supposing every community throughout the land was likewise directing its energies upon a certain fixed programme of work. No matter how high their aims might be, they would out-run them, just as their war efforts far exceeded their most sanguine expectations. Every publicspirited man in the country would.bo exalted in an atmosphere of public service, just as he was elevated in a patriotic spirit during the great war period. It is only tho lack of leadership and organised community followings that stand in the way of this magnificent possibilty. While rapid strides arc thus possible, the spirit and technique of community organisation are usually of slow growth. Little can he done in one year to convince a critical public of its utility.

Therefore tho programme of work and the funds with which to carry it on, should he extended over a period of at least three years. It is the growth of “team-working” that determines the real value of an organisation. Co-oper-ative thought is tho only moans a community has at hand to bring about great changes for the better. If you are a doctor or a lawyer, or a grocer or some other calling; you will find that all your individual efforts, no matter how clever cannot disentangle you from the limitations of a “dead town”, where you live. Yet you cannot remove to another place without sacrificing that priceless public confidence built up by all your preceding efforts. Each passing year makes youtown personal problem increasingly difficult; your family and its future, so to speak, are “invested” in the town. Tho. one and only way, then, to extricate one’s solf from a “dead town” is to join with other men and “liven it up.” Tlie people of Hokitika and A\es - land are now to ho given an opportunity of combining together tor the .u - vancemcnfc of their community by lending their full weight in money and man power in support of the local Progress League. Now is tho time for the people to exert their united influence for the common good. Never was there a time so opportune. Never was tho position faced with such manificent possi-

bijities. That the people of the district will fully realise their resf>onsibilites of citizenship, and the value of presenting a united front, I have not tho least doubt in my own mind.