Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1908. THE VISIT OF THE AMERICAN FLEET

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43339, 18 June 1908, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News.

THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1908. THE VISIT OF THE AMERICAN FLEET

This above all—to thine own self be true , A nd tt must follow as the night the day Thou canst not then be false to any man Shakespeare.

Now that the visit of the American Fleet is drawing so near, the question again arises, “ What is Te Aroha to do by way of advertising herself ? ” As the men are to be allowed a free pass on the railway, why not approach the Government to arrange an excursion to Te Aroha. It is greatly to our advantage that we are within a day’s journey and back from Auckland. For, provided a train were timed to leave early enough, the visitors would have quite a nice little interval to spend in, our town. The visit of the fleet is an opportunity which we ought not to lose, for bringing our town and district into public notice, and at the same time availing ourselves of an occasion of coming into personal contact with our American cousins. The next best kind of education to travelling for oneself is to meet those who have travelled, or those who represent the leading countries. We might ourselves do much to make the excursion, could it be arranged, a memorable affair to the visitors. The town might' be decorated, and a substantial repast provided in the hall. The extension of hospitality augmented by a stroll round the iDomain, with a chance to see for themselves some of the®natural beauties and curiosities in the way of our tree ferns, and mineral springs, would make a lasting impression. In a general way we hold that New Zealand ought to do all ohe can by way of advertising herself and the extension of that principle to more personal and individual affairs makes us feel that when the opportunity offers, we as a town ought to do all we can by way of realising a share in that advertisement.

We might make it the occasion of a special display in our shop windows. Our school children from all the - surrounding schools would of course figure largely in any celebration which we could get up. We might perhaps have a simple medal struck, indicating the three-fold nature of our attractions namely, agriculture, mining, and the springs. Or if that would cost too much, a prettily illustrated .post-card, suitably worded, could be presented to the men as a souvenir for despatch to their wives and sweethearts. That would really he perhaps the best form of advertisement.

Something certainly ought to he done. For we are not of those who believe that if you cannot achieve as much others it is not worth while to aim at anything, rather let us do with our best endeavour what we may, proving that we know how to entertain as well as any, given' only the chance. \