Wanaka.

Lake County Mail, Issue 27, 26 November 1947, Page 2

Wanaka.

CITIZENSHIP

; EFFORT NECESSARY R.S.A. ~ADDRESS An appeal to members of the Returned Services’ Association to accept their full share of citizenship with its attendant responsibilities was made by Mr W. Manson, president of the Wanaka branch of the R.S.A. at the monthly meeting. In earlier discusssionu it had been agreed that a soldier having served hia country and offered his life in defence and preservation of a way of life was entitled and expected to express his opinion, said Mr Manson. It had further been agreed that no large body of men in New Zealand was more competent to control the destinies of the Dominion than returned soldiers. Full Share in Community Life The organisation which embraced all types, classes and creeds could not as a body enter the political arena. As individuals, however, members should accept their full share of citizenship which entailed taking their full share in the productive, professional, political, sporting and religious life of the community. In our community life, many amenities were provided by public subscription and by membership subscription, continued Mr Manson, sporting bodies and public libraries were examples of this type. These organisations required committees to control their activities. Public.bodies such as -county, borough and city councils, power boards and school committees were controlled by citizens who gave their services without charge to the public. The public, in general, accepted these services as a right ignoring the fact that they could bo provided only as long as someone with a sense of citizenship attended the necessary meetings and accepted a job on the committee. Citizen’s Duties Very often after the committee had been provided the public proceeded to forget dll about it remembering oiily to stay away from the next annual meeting in case they were “ pushed onto” a committee. “Our communal life cannot function satisfactorily on this basis,” said Mr Manson. “ The citizen who enjoys the facilities provided for his entertainment and seeur-

ity is in duty bound to take an intelligent interest in the control of these facilities. He should make himself aware of the conditions (Under which the committee function, the efforts being made to maintain and improve the facilities provided, and, in general, take an interest in what is going on.” .“ If the public could be persuaded to accept their responsibilities as citizens in this way,” continued Mr Manson, “ I venture to say that our amenities would develop amazingly. The citizens themselves would quickly gain a reasonable appreciation of the services provided and by their attendance and interest would encourage the committee to extend themselves a little further.. In the course of time too, we would find- that service on a committee would be considered an honour, not conferred because of lack of numbers but by selection. Wo would then find ourselves readily able to appoint a committee suited to the work to be done. Speaking specifically to returned servicemen, Mr Manson said: “My suggestion to you is (1) To realise that you should have a better appreciation of the responsibilities of citizenship than any (2) To fit yourself to ' -ac4ts- \this responsibility by taking ah,iafUJligent interest in communal 'actfrities. (3) To attend meetand listen to discussions expressing opinions where you feel you can offer some constructive suggestions. / If ■ you approve of .these discussion groups persuade others to attend, encourage frank and sincere discussion, discourage insincerity, keep the discussion on a high moral plane, maintain an ; atmosphere of sweet reasonableness and in the course-of a few years the members of this organisation will control the amenities .of this district. Continued on page 3.