HOSPITAL POSTERS’ PROTEST

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1947, Page 6

HOSPITAL POSTERS’ PROTEST

Sir, —Re the Hospital Board meeting held last Tuesday night, Wednesday’s issue of the “Evening Star” contained an article on the porters employed by the board having taken up residence in a part of the Old People’s Home, with remarks supposedly made by a board member which meant that they were "squatting,” or otherwise illegally on the' premises' of the board.

I wrote on behalf of the 'workers concerned, protesting about this article, but the “Star" refused publication of same, with this comment made in the issue of Friday 16th inst.: “It is not the practice to notice letters couched in insulting terms, or to give publicity to complaints completely unsubstantiated by facts'. —Editor, Star.” I append a copy of my letter sent to the Editor, and, while admitting that the wording is hard, it is nowhere insulting. The “Star” states that the complaint is completely unsubstantiated by facts. Let us look at the facts. Can the “Star” deny that both the items mentioned by me were not supposed to be for publication? Can they deny that Mr Stokes was not fully reported, and that the construction placed on his words gave an utterly different meaning to that meant, by this board member when ho made his remarks? Can they deny that such careless press statements as this are one of the main causes of diss'ention between employer and employed? Here I will leave tie matter for the present, hoping that, the “Star” will take up my challenge. I am, etc.,

S. GLADSTONE, Secretary, Westland Hotel, Restaurand • and Related Trades Employees Industrial Union of Workers.

[ENCLOSURE]

‘To the Editor, Greymouth “Evening Star.”

Sir.—ln Your issue of Wednesday last is an article headed “Porters Seeking Accommodation In Home Of Aged.” As secretary of the Westland Hotel Workers Union, I am writing on behalf of the porters mentioned in your article, and want to protest at the publication of such so-called items of ‘news’.

For outright misrepresentation, it would surely take first prize in any competition, and is quite a good example of efforts to cause dissention between a group of workers and their employers. The workers concerned took strong exception to the remarks supposedly made by several members of the board, especially Mr J. Stokes, but this gentleman, on being interviewed, stated that only half of his remarks were printed, which placed an entirely different conception on his 1 statements. If you were compelled to publish this bit of so-called "red hot” news, why the misrepresentation, may I ask? it is that your paper is picking out bits and pices to cause disssention, or is the reporter in need of a hearing aid; or might it have been that a convenient pencil scored out points of the report which would have enabled Mr Stokes’ remarks' to have been properly understood by readers? I challenge your reporter to deny that the Chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr F. Oakley) gave definite instructions to the reporters that this matter was not fqr publication. The challenge also goes for your article on the reported theft or loss of penciilin, when the doctor himself stated that the matter was not for publication. Will you, or your reporter accept this challenge? Thank goodness, your morning contemporary had the decency to observe the rules of journalism and refrained from mentioning either of these topics. I think, in all fairness to the porters and the members of the board concerned, a publicapology, through the columns of your paper would be advisable. I am, etc.— S. GLADSTONE. I Some sentences have been excised from the copy of the latter letter. — Ed. “Argus”.]