TOURIST AND EXPANSION LEAGUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1921, Page 4

TOURIST AND EXPANSION LEAGUE.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League was held last night and after discussing and adopting the balance-sheet, it was adjourned until Wednesday, October 19, the attendance being considered too small to warrant the business being proceeded with. Mr. T. C. List (chairman) presided.

The balance-sheet showed the total receipts to have been £256 4s 6d, made up as follows: Subscriptions, £lO5 4s; grant from the Government, £150; balance brought forward, 10/6. The expenditure, amounting to £126 18s 6d, consisted of rent and secretary’s salary £B3, collector’s commission £lO, advertising and printing £29 4s 6d, car hire £3, sundries £4 Is 6d, leaving a credit of £126 18s 6d.

In moving the adoption of the bal-ance-sheet, the chairman said it was unfortunate that the meeting had clashed with other nieetings, which probably accounted for the small attendance. The league was in a good position financially compared with other years. During the year the Government had granted £l5O to the league in recognition of the work it had been doing on behalf of the Tourist Department. . In the past the grant had only been £5O. The increased amount, however, could hardly be expected to be forthcoming in future. The townspeople had supported the league well, financially. During the year advertising had been carridd on in the South Island with the object chiefly of attracting people to take up their residence in New Plymouth instead of in the. northern districts. THE LATE SECRETARY. Air. List referred to the late Mr. W. A. Collis, who had for years been secretary and an energetic supporter of the league, stating that his death was a great loss to the league as well as to the town and' district. He was a man who had done a great deal of useful work in an unassuming manner, the value of which only those in close touch with him properly appreciated. The credit balance was really hypothecated to publishing a booklet for distribution at Home and in New Zealand. The preparatory work had been completed, but the committee had decided to place the responsibility for putting the work in hand upon the incoming committee. The office was greatly used by visitors, and most of the trips to the mountain and elsewhere were arranged by the office. It was thus filling a real need in the community, and it would be a pity to let it die out. He had been chairman for a good many years, and desired to retire, as he felt an infusion of new blood would be beneficial.

Mr. A. AlcHardy said he too wished to drop out, as he had been identified with the league practically since it was inaugurated, and he did hot think it quite right that a small number of men should carry on a work that properly should go round the citizens.

Mr. C. E. Baker said he was sure there would have been a better attendance had another night been chosen for the meeting and greater publicity given. Mr. S. Teed said there was apparently a good deal of apathy shown by citizens regarding the league, especially when'it came to attending public meetings, but he pointed out that if the public only saw what he did during the summer —hundreds of people making use of the tourist office and the secretary — they would exhibit more interest in the league and give it more support. He believed the meeting should be adjourned to Wednesday evening of next week. VALUE OF A CHANGE. Mr. R. C. Hughes seconded. He said if men like the chairman and Mr. McHardy dropped out as they proposed, it would surely be the end of the league, and this would be a serious loss to the town. They should stick to the boat and go on pulling together a little longer. The chairman reminded the meeting that a few of them had been about the sole occupants of the boat for a good many years now. They felt during the war they should do everything they could to keep the organisation together, appreciating as they did the work the league was doing, but expected others would take an oar when settled times came. They had got the finances in good trim, and felt a change in the crew would do good all round. He believed all who had an interest in the community should do their best to promote its interests, but there were limits beyond which no citizen should be expected to go, and he trusted, the citizens would attend the adjourned meeting in bigger numbers and elect some new men who could infuse new life into the league. I

Mr. R. Large said he was attracted to New Plymouth by the literature issued by the league, to which he was accordingly grateful, and knew that the publicity campaigns it had undertaken in past years had been largely responsible for the changed opinion held outside regarding New Plymouth in particular and Taranaki in general. He would bo very sorry to see the league die as the result of apathy. MORE INTEREST WANTED. Mr. W. B. Davies urged the leaders of the league to continue their work for at least another year. He was sure the town would not let the league disappear, as it was doing such good work, and was capable of even better work. The chairman said it must be admitted the townspeople had subscribed well towards the league’s funds, for which they were duly grateful, but the committee would be move pleased if they would turn up at the annua! meetings, and thereby show their interest in the work of the league. He mentioned there was an average of between 4'50 and 500 visitors to the league’s bureau yearly, hundreds of letters were attended to, and nearly all the trips to . the mountain and elsewhere were arranged by the bureau, so it could be seen that the league was filling a, real need in the town. The. secretary (Mr. A. L. Humphries) said there were a good many inquiries already this season. The motion for the adjournment of the meeting until next week was then put and carried.