Budgeting at Wairoa

It has long been acknowledged that within any community there are public-spirited people who do their fellow citizens great service without ever receiving any publicity. They sacrifice their time and devote their energies to meeting the lot of the more unfortunate members of their community with no thought of any reward except the satisfaction of providing a needed service.

From the Tairawhiti district comes a report of such an organisation. The Wairoa Home Budgeting Society has been in existence just a little over 12 months. Led by the active Mayor of Wairoa, Mr R. E. Shortt, with his vigour, the organisation includes public accountants and company managers, as well as other prominent citizens, both Maori and Pakeha, from the Wairoa Borough and Country areas. While it was originally intended to assist with the home budgeting of local families, especially where the need was urgent, now after 12 months of activity, the society is branching out and extending its scope, endeavouring to influence the community in better living generally.

Projects like encouraging pre-school services, greater participation of parents in school activities, more active involvement in community functions, a wider Christian outlook — all these fields will be explored by the society as a general effort to make the citizens of Wairoa more able to help themselves and others. It is not contended that Wairoa has produced something unique in New Zealand society, but it is suggested that their efforts and their success could be an inspiration to other communities who feel that they have a need of some such organisation, but have not been able to organise themselves into such an active body.

A Cry — Ages Old

I've watched till dusk
in Mauinaina but you have not come:
Kaiahiku's sunset flame has faded
as the tide recedes again
and darkness
wraps my loneliness within a cloak
of fear.
You said you'd bring a fish —
a maomao small and tender
especially for the little one
who will one day be like you.
You had to take the challenge
of the wilder deeper waters
when I would have you fish
within the safer Wai-O-Taiki!
What gain our truce with neighbour
tribes — our freedom to
extend ourselves
beyond this pa and Maungarei —
if you must seek
out danger when you could be here with me.

W. Berta Kivi