SIGN OF THE "KIWI."

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18058, 28 April 1924, Page 11

SIGN OF THE "KIWI."

TO TEE ZDITOH OP »„, „„„.

Sir,-It would not be fair to Mrs 81l to pass over the letters of your correspondents, "11." and re . spectively, without making some replv thereto. The Sign 0 f the "Kiwi" is uor conducted for private profit, but for the benefit of the Port Hills- Akaroa Summit road, for which object', i u J.OJo-16-1I went through much trouble ,-uid saddled myself with legal liabilities to rinance the building and furnishing oi this now popular road-side house Mrs Ell offered, of her own volition to go to the Sign of the "Kiwi" with me in August, 1921, so as to help me to end the miserable fight I had to endure to preserve and hold my right to carry on this public work,' ;t nd also to help me to make the Sign 0 f the "Kiwi" earn as much as possible to discharge the debts connected with the Summit road scheme, which the public of Cln-istchureh had been told, and wiiicii was reiterated many times over, that 1 was entirely responsible for creating, and Mrs 81l has abundantly justified her ability to manage such a place, for she has paid over more than £101)6 in net profits since August 23rd 1921, which has been used towards paying off the debts referred to. The Sign of the "Kiwi" was built and furnished, as I informed those citizens and business firms who in 1916-17 helped to and furnish the Sign of • the "Kiwi," as an endowment for the benefit of the Summit road and the Summit road reserves, a work on which 1 have laboured for the best years of my. life, and for- which I am still working; but if all who patronise the Sign of the "Kiwi" did what your correspondents did, bring their own food and spend Gd each on tea, there would be little profit from the Sign of the "Kiwi" for the benefit of the Summit road scheme. One party, Ido not know whether it was "N.'s" party or not, walked into the tea-room of the "Kiwi" and sat down at one of the tables, the tea-room being then well filled with ladies and gentlemen partaking of the tea ■and food refreshments supplied, and asked for tea for three. The teapot, with cups and saucers, milk and sugar, and jug of hot water, was brought, when my niece found the party with their own sandwiches and some tomatoes spread out oh the table linen. They did not ask for plates. - Mrs Ell objected to this procedure. The work is hard enough and worrying enough without having: to put up with the annoyance of sueli conduct. Picnic and family parties are supplied with boiling water at any time, including all Sundays and holidays, but they must bring their own teapot, vessel for hot water, cups, etc., and a great many take advantage of this service, which is rendered to the public at a very small charge. I Tesent very strongly the way Mrs 81l was treated and spoken to. No one is working harder for the Summit road, and Mrs Ell's services are worth a great deal to this very valuable and useful public work, which is being built up for the benefit of the people of Canterbury.—Yours, etc., " H. G. ELL. Sign of the "Kiwi," Summit road. April 27th.