PUBLICITY QUESTIONABLE

Grey River Argus, 14 November 1949, Page 7

PUBLICITY QUESTIONABLE

(To The Editor) Sir.—lt has been with real regret that many residents of the Brunner district have noticed certain newspaper references to the late Mr Bill Smith, a highly esteemed and charitable resident, whose modest savings have -.been made the subject of notoriety in a manner that might suggest he was not generous. To my knowledge, nobody here gave more to charity; and even if he had not had his modest savings banked, that fact was his own private concern, rather than a subject for wide publicity. Had he left ten times as much in securities, there doubtless would have been no such publicity as to “hiding places”, let alone his few items of furniture, his suit of clothes, and his working- sox! He had the esteem of the community for the past 16 vears, had worked at all of the local mines, and had trusted his fellow men —whatever inference to the contrary might be hinted by the publicity in question. While the news of his death certainly occasioned regret, further regret was felt here when it was followed up with these public allusions to his leaving no will, but £l3OO in notes in one tin, and other notes with coins in other tins. The ■spirit of the “write up” was perhaps indicated by the description of the tin as “battered”. I am, etc., Wm. PURDY, Miners’ District Secretary.