TAIHAPE PATRIOTIC SOCIETY

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 27 April 1917, Page 4

TAIHAPE PATRIOTIC SOCIETY

The annual meeting of the Taihape and District Patriotic Society was held last night, when there was an attendance of only eleven members. His Worship the Mayor (Mr A. L. Arrowsmith) occupied the chair. The minutes of the last annual meeting were brought up for consideration. Mr G. Wrightson moved that the meeting be adjourned until Thursday next. He considered it was perfectly ridiculous, with the present small attendance, to go on with the business. With the large district interested in the Society it was not what they had a right to expect. Efforts should be .made through the Press,, and by other means, to create more interest in the working of the Society.

Mr Arthur James seconded the motion, and in so doing said it was discrcditbale that more interest was not exhibited in the Society. On the doings of the annual meeting depended the future of the Society for twelve months. and he considered it was not in its best interests that they should go on with the meeting. Mr. Arrowsmith thought it would be the wisest plan to put the resolution to the meeting, saying he was heartily in sympathy with the sentiments of the previous speakers. The present state of affairs was not creditable to Taihape. Presumably people [thought that so long as things go on satisfactorily it was all right; let them go on. The community apparently is quite satisfied with the manner in which the Patriotic Society is run, but the apathy, of which the attendance at the present meeting was aoa exemplification, was »ot at all to the credit of the town. He hoped the fact that the present meeting lapsed through meagre attendance would bring the community to a sense of their duty—a duty they owed to themselves and the men at the front. Then again, why were there not some ladies present? The Patriotic Society would be glad to have their active assistance, and he would welcome their presence. The ladies had been of very real service in other spheres of patriotic work, why should they not extend their efforts to assisting the Patriotic Society? He hoped the adjourned meetingwould have an attendance that would be a credit to the town. The Rev. W. F. Stent suggested that some people were under the impression they had to be members of the Society to qualify them to attend. Mr Arrowsmith: They should be here to-night to find out. The only qualification necessary for any person to attend meetings of the Society was the direct contribution of 5/- to any patriotic fund.

Mr D. Neaglc thought it desirable to let the public know what constituted a member of the [Society. This should be stated in the advertisement calling the meeting. He was firmly of the opinion that it was ignorance on the part of the public, not apathy, that prevented their attending. After a few remarks by others present the motion was put to the meeting, and carried.

The Mayor then declared the meet ing adjourned until next Thursday.