Mushroom protest

Press, 15 June 1983, Page 12

Mushroom protest

Sir,—ln reference to the article, “Protest ‘fun’ — M.P.” (“The Press,” May 30), how a man with the intelligence to become an M.P. could possibly believe that a community’s residents would band together early on a cold morning to line the street with placards and signs for “fun” or because they have “nothing better to do” and then believe that those same protesters are his “friends” has got me completely baffled. As one of the protesters who has never met Mr Burdon (I only know of one protester who has — not a friend of his though) I can only feel sorry that he has to find his “friends” on the streets. I am certainly glad Mr Burdon is not my M.P. J - Yours, etc.,

K. L. SANDFORD. Prebbleton, May 30, 1983.

Sir,—ln response to Mr Burdon’s statement (May 30), as one of the protesters I say that if Mr Burdon thinks our protest on Saturday was a joke that would surely account for why no improvements have been made by Meadow Mushrooms to eliminate the stink and noise residents are subjected to., I have never met Mr Burdon; nor has he been to our home, so how can he claim to be our friend, or know of the obnoxious stink that penetrates into our house. We live in Prebbleton 24 hours a day, not in Fendalton. — Yours, etc., L. SANDFORD, Prebbleton. May 30, 1983.

Sir,—Some of the delegates attending the National Party’s Can-terbury-Westland Conference last Saturday could be forgiven for thinking they were witnessing a serious demonstration, while driving through Prebbleton that morning. How ridiculous. If only they had asked Mr P. R. Burdon he could have told them it was just some of his weird friends enjoying themselves in their own perverse idea of fun. Standing still for an hour and a half on a cold, damp morning is not everybody’s idea of fun but his chums from Prebbleton are quite odd when it comes to enjoying themselves. For instance, one of the more bizarre activities of these fun-loving folk is to sit in their gardens on hot summer days immersed in the faecal fetor from Meadow Mushrooms. — Yours, etc., M. H. D. EVANS. Prebbleton, May 31, 1983

Sir,—With reference to Mr P. Burdon’s comments on the protest against the activities and nuisance caused by Meadow Mushrooms, Ltd (“The Press,” May 30), I note that he said that most of the protesters were friends of his. I have looked up the meaning of the word “friend” in thq- Oxford Illustrated Dictionary. I (1) One (not

ordinarily a relative or lover) joined to another in intimacy and affection; (2) second in duel; (3) (loosely) acquaintance; (4) stranger towards whom one wishes to express good will or kindly condescension. As one of the protesters, and as I have never met the man, I wonder which of these categories Mr Burdon puts me in. I also note that he said of the protesters “they were simply out to enjoy themselves and had nothing better to do.” Surely a most offensive statement for him to make about “his friends.”—Yours, etc., G. M. EVANS (Mrs). Prebbleton, May 30, 1983.

[Mr Burdon replies.- “I am sorry to note my definition of friendship is so much more generous than those of the correspondents. For the benefit of Mrs Evans, I do not, however, believe our friendship necessarily means that we should be “joined together in intimacy and affection” regardless of her personal wishes on this subject. I simply hope that we are all people of good will and she will remember that she and many of her colleagues all came into Prebbleton well after Meadow Mushrooms 'was established in full knowledge of the company’s existence. Certainly we have done and will continue to .do all we can to eliminate any aspect of concern and complaint by any member of the community.”]