"UNGRATEFUL ATTITUDE”

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1922, Page 8

"UNGRATEFUL ATTITUDE”

“STAB” AND THE R.S.A. AN EDITORIAL RESENTED. Objection has been taken by the local branch of the B.S.A. to the publication of very discouraging articles relating to the association’s business by certain sections of the Press. The matter was threshed out at an executive meeting of the branch last evening, wlien reference was made to the leading article appearing in yesterday’s “Evening Etar.” The meeting- was fairly well attendd, Mr A. 11. McKane occupying the Mr 11. Troukmd introduced the sub eet mid expressed indignation at the ending article in yesterday s “Star, vhich, he said, insinuated that the local I.S.A. had conducted Poppy Day in a ;o-as-you-plense manner and that if ackcd practical business methods. The instruction .lie placed on the article v:is that the association had used seniment as a. lever for the carrying out if their business affairs. If the infer--m-e was made that the association aeked practical business capacity the tatement was very unfair. The whole irtiele in the “Star” was unfair illsmueli as the week during which Poppy lav was celebrated, had been an cx•eptionaUy busy one for the assoeiaion, mid no possible opportunity of n-epming a statement of finance had incurred. Knowing the circumstances, t was, he considered, an exhibition of iad taste on the part of the “Star” o make the inference they had. The ■emarks were decidedly discouraging o the Returned Soldiers’ Association, vhieli was doing its best in the inter■sts of the returned men. With retard to the objection to the French >eople receiving a percentage of the iroeceds from the sale of the poppies lie speaker said only the soldiers who iad been there understood how conlitions were in the devastated areas of Prance, and he thought the least the icople of New Zealand could do was to show a little gratitude by granting 3d mr poppy to the people from whom the idea originated mid by whom the poppies were made. If the Press of New Zealand was to forget in such a short time the many acts of kindness carried mt on their behalf by the soldiers lie thought their sense of gratitude very small indeed, lie. moved the following resolution: “That this, meeting of the Greymouth branch of Hie U.S.A, places on record its condemnation of certain unhelpful remarks ns expressed in the leading article in the ‘Greymouth Evening Star,’ of May 2.” The chairman (Mr A. IL McKane) seconded the resolution mid said it seemed to him th- t the “Star” was not satisfied with the manner in which the members had been conducting the association’s business. lie, as chairman, objected strongly to the Greymoutli “Star,” or any other paper dictating io the association ns to how its affairs were to be conducted. For :i number of years the association had been run successfully and the interference of the paper mentioned was absolutely unwarranted. During Poppy Week the association had been handicapped with other matters mid had convened a meeting at the first opportunity. With regard to a portion of the money being sent to France Mi MeKane thought, that if the people of this country made no move to assist their soldiers in the way indicated by the poppies they should at least appro c.inte the efforts of the people of another country who did. There was no cause for the remarks expressed in the article mentioned. The other members present voiced their opinions and deplored the publication of the article, declaring that it was viewed with extreme distaste by the members of the local bryncli of the U.S.A. The resolution was put and carried unanimously.