CLUB FOR SERVICE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 32316, 20 September 1943, Page 5

CLUB FOR SERVICE

FORMATION IN PAEROA ROTARY INTERNATIONAL INITIAL GATHERING HELD In February 1905 four men in Chicago, U.'S.A., formed themselves into a club "with the idea of giving service to others. They met regularly at lunch-time at each others’ homes, the place of meeting rotating, hence they called themselves the Rotary Club. „ From this beginning there has since grown up a world-wide organisation, Rotary International, comprising* over 5200 clubs with over 205,000’ members, and new-clubs are now being formed at the rate of one every 57 hours. Membership in each town is limited to one from each business profession, the club selecting men for membership who will be expected to carry-the ideals of Rotary to the others in their particular classification.

The objects of Rotary are to encourage and foster (1) the development of acquaintances as an opportunity for service; (2) high ethical standards in professional and business services; (3) the application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his professional, .business and community life; (4) the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional men united in the ideal of service.

Over 40 N.Z. Clubs

In New Zealand there are now 49odd clubs with a membership of nearly 2000 and an indication of the scope of their activities can be gained from the following- hearings of reports of Community service in a recently-pub-lished address 'by the New Zealand District Governor: —The Crippled Children’s Society (founded by Rotarians); The Heritage Society, Vocational Guidance, Health Camps, Toe H Camps, Juvenile Delinquency, Chilren’s Playgrounds, Girls’ Sports, Orphanages, Hospitals, Anti-Tubercu-losis Society, Karitane, Kindergarten, Crippled Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Boys’ Brigade, Y.M.C.A., Cobbers’ Club, Gymnasium, Milk-in-Schools (originated in Rotary), Blind Institute, Radio in Hospitals, Sunshine Funds (in the larger centres over £5OO a year for worthy local purposes), Tree Planting, Leper Stations, Prisons, Development Schemes, Seamen’s Missions, Maori Hostels. There were almost equally long lists of activities under the general headings of War Effort, Vocational Service and International Service.

Club Formed In Paeroa

Paeroa is 'to have a branch of Rotary International. A few weeks ago members of, the Auckland Club spent several days in Paeroa selecting men to be the charter members, and last Thursday evening 28 members of the Auckland Club and four visitors from the Hamilton Club conducted a meeting in the Victoria Tea-rooms with the object of launching the new branch, and explaining the proceedings. A. past District Governor, Mr G. Hutchinson, past-president of the Auckland Club, presided, and early in the proceedings had all present introduce themselves by standing and announcing their names, club, classification, and club name, for at meetings all fellows are known by their Christian or nick-names.

The president of the Auckland Club, Mr A. K. North, presented the Paeroa Club with a Rotary insignia a mounted cog-wheel, a donation from the Auckland Club. When the Paeroa Club receives its charter it will be able to enrol further members, hence the initiation address was given. Several times during the evening there was community singing led by Mr F. Sutherland. Fines Imposed To demonstrate one means of raising funds in an amusing manner fines were imposed by the chairman. Thustwo well-known Aucklanders who had been bom in Paeroa were each fined £l, several fellows who were not wearing their badges were each fined Is; Mr Menzies was fined £1 because Messrs Grey and Menzies had recently published a good balance sheet and the manager of the Auckland Savings Bank was fined' £1 for using the club’s journey to Paeroa as a means of looking over the bank’s properties on Hauraki Plains. Those who were fined a shilling or so were taken by surprise, particularly the Gazette representative who had to pay Is for a misprint in a card printed many years ago and used for the occasion. Those who were fined substantial sums had previously given their consent.

A very interesting address on the

mechanics of Rotary was given by Mr T. Mackay. This dealt with the history, constitution and work of Rotary International. An interesting point was that all officers, while they may be selected by their group, must be approved by the higher branch and even then must attend a course of instruction before their appointments are confirmed. Thus, the president, vice-president and the secretary of the Paeroa Club recently spent two days in Wellington receiving instruction. Weekly Luncheons When questions were invited it was explained that a member leaving a town ceased to be a Rotarian for he could not continue to represent the ideals of Rotary to the other people in his classification in the town, and even if there was a club in the place where he took up his residence it was unlikely that he would be selected to 'represent his classification for there would probably be others with better local knowledge.

The president of the Paeroa Club, Mr C. N. O’Neill, detailed ipembers for service on the following committees Club, vocational, community and international services and announced that meetings would be held weekly at 12.45 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Victoria Tea-rooms and would

last about an hour. When thoroughly established members will be encouraged to bring fellow-townsmen as guests, to the weekly luncheon, particularly if the address is to 'be an interesting one. I • .