ROTARIANS CONFER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 938, 3 April 1930, Page 12

ROTARIANS CONFER

MEETING AT TONGARIRO Press Association TONGARIRO, Today. The eighth conference of Rotary Clubs of New Zealand was opened today, Mr. C. J. Ronaldson, district governor, presiding. One hundred and eleven delegates were present. Overseas visitors included Mr. W. C. McGonagle (Honolulu), Mr. Elgin j Stoddard (San Francisco), Dr. Otto i Monson (Santa Monica, California),! Mr. Yozo Nomura (Yokohama). The Auckland president, Mr. Stan- ; ley Reid, in extending a welcome, said j that Rotary did not and would not take part in politics, but with government in business it was difficult to say where Government ended and where business and community service ended. Questions requiring urgent consideration, were unemployment, support of New Zealand and British industries, the heavy fire losses, and the credit system. These were their problems, as well as of those representing them in Government. Rotarians should take them up, and realise that all business and professional men in New Zealand must be on the job. Mr. H. J. Guthrie, (Dunedin), responding on behalf of visiting Rotarians, emphasised the value of the opportunities given by Rotary for the j development of international under- j standing and for good-fellowship. After the roll-call, it was resolved j unanimously to forward a welcome to i their Excellencies Lord and Lady I ! Bledisloe, expressing the hope that I i opportunities would present themselves to co-operate with them, as had been the case in the past. The district governor was 4, given an .enthusiastic reception. He referred to the advantages of meeting under one roof as it gave them the opportunity of making friends more rapidly. Reviewing the year, he said the number of clubs remained at 23. Steps had been taken to strengthen the smaller clubs, and it was hoped to establish clubs at Ashburton t a«d Greymouth. The total membership j was 1,097, an increase of 50. Rotary : j had assisted many organisations, aid- ; | ing crippled children, the blind, and j providing Christmas hampers and I wood and coal during the winter j months to the needy. The chief feat- ; ure of the work during the year had i been under the heading of interna- ! i tional service. Rotary was endeav- \ j ouring to develop what was known as ' I an “international mind.” The world ’ was becoming so small that it was imJ possible for nations to view themselves j as units, but as part and parcel' of a ! great brotherhood of nations. The • j spirit of Rotary was recognised in the | League of Nations, at Locarno, The 1 ! Hague Tribunal, and the Kellogg Pact, j the central ideas being similar to Ro- ! tary because they denounced war as ! a means of settling differences, j Greetings were read from Chicago | and elsewhere, and overseas Rotarians J were presented.

Mr. Stoddard (America) said he had been warned that in Australia and New Zealand he would hear views expressed about America that would probably wound their feelings, but lie found nothing of the sort.