THE TOWN HALL AND HILLSIDE.

Evening Star, Issue 20961, 27 November 1931, Page 12

THE TOWN HALL AND HILLSIDE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Wo wish to strongly protest against your unfair and untrue statement in your article under the above caption in Wednesday’s ‘ Star,’ wherein you state: “We are perfectly well aware that all branches of the Public Sendee were involved in some degree in an organised plan to demonstrate against Mr Forbes and belittle him in the public esteem, if not actually intimidate him.’’ Our association embraces members of all departments other than the Railways, Post and Telegraph, and teachers, and we can spealc authoritatively on behalf of all our members. Neither as an association nor as individuals did wo have anything to do, directly or indirectly, with any circular or any “organised plan.” Despite exhaustive inquiries wo cannot find that any single one of our members received the circular referred to by you, or was aware of its existence until attention was drawn to it by your article following the meeting. Our association is strictly non-political, and never at any time in its history has it departed from its constitution ’ in this respect. You have gratuitously drawn our members into the trouble without any justification. Now, in view of the fact that our constitution is as above—i.e., to have nothing to do with anything that savours of attachment to any political party, and as wo are in a position to assert that our individual members respect, on this and all occasions, our constitution, it would bo at least only fair that the “amende honorable ”bo made. Whether you will make the “ amende honorable ” is, of course, a matter for yourself, but wo feel that fair play demands the withdrawal of the paragraph, which is not in accordance with fact.—We are, etc., D. A. Young (Chairman), A. D. Macartnev (Secretary), Committee, Otago Section, N.Z. Public Service Association.