Mystery Envelopes

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30846, 3 September 1965, Page 14

Mystery Envelopes

Sir,—First I would like to congratulate Lions International (Canterbury branch) on their efforts to raise funds for the town hall. Second, I would say how disappointed ) was after going to town at 7.30 a.m. specially to purchase £1 worth of envelopes to find, on opening these, that five out of the 10 purchased were for the same article costing 2s Hd. Two were for shares in a building company and the 'ast two were for glass ashtrays. I fail to see how Lions International can advertise so widely that these envelopes had been well shuffled before sale, as I feel 1 was taken for a ride.— Yours, etc., ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY. August 27, 1965.

[The Christchurch presiden of Lions International (P?. W. R. Holmes) replies: “I wish to thank ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy’ for the congratulations, and I share his concern that the 10 envelopes purchased did not provide the variety hoped for. Possible explanations for this are: that he did not purchase from the same seller; or that the seller did not ive him 10 in consecutive order out of the bundle provided; and third, the system in which 80 people took four hours to shuffle the envelopes broke down temporarily and the factor of human error crept in. May I assure the writer that every possible attempt was made to prevent such eventuality.”]

Sir, —Could I suggest that, in future campaigns of this nature, firms’ addresses are checked to see that they are correct before printing the vouchers? I received a voucher. to be redeemed at 167 Madras street. After nearly half an hour’s walk I found there, was no 1.67 and no Taylor Tyre Company there. I rang a firm of the same name in Moorhouse avenue and found that they were the donors of the gifts. They have been in their Moorhouse avenue premises for about four years, and these mystery vouchers have been printed within the last two or three weeks. To get from the Madras street address to the correct address is another halfhour’s walk, and: certainly not worth the 2s 6d worth of goods to be-collected.—Yours, etc., HAD IT. August 29. 1965. [The Christchurch president of Lions International (Dr. W. R. Holmes) says: “May 1 extend to ‘Had It’ and other similarly inconvenienced citizens the regret of all those concerned with the campaign. The addresses of all firms were exposed to several checks and it does appear in this case a mistake has occurred. We can only apologise for any inconvenience caused.”]