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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3833, 18 August 1928, Page 3

(To the Editor.) Sir. —In your last issue appeared a further letter by “Old Timer,” and I find on reading same that his letter contains a few direct negatives. In the first place, he says he has no wish to enter into a controversy as to whether the mills should open or not. Yet on reading the Palmerston morning'paper of yesterday I found a whole column written on this very subject. Now, Sir, he says that whatever attitude a man takes up he should stick to facts. Well, why did he omit to do so when he wrote his first letter, which was a scurrilous attack on certain persons in Foxton, calculated to damage them in the eyes of the men- and public, to use his own words. By the way, I think those persons are more than a match for “Old Timer” when it comes to sticking to facts. In any case they are able to deal with him, as my letter concerns other things that “Old Timer” has penned. In the first place, as he seems so well versed in secretaries’ duties, I will ask trim how many Foxton men have seen a balance-sheet, and, further, how many of the 800 odd members have seen one? Further, at 25s per head of the 800 odd, why has no relief been given to us in Foxton? It’s all very well to talk at a meeting of unemployed at Palmerston —a relief committee at that —but those words uttered there don’t feed ns and our wives and children in Foxton. Now he is in fear mark those words of his —that our letters are written with the purpose of causing dissension among the members of the Union. Well, if I what has been written are not facts why need he fear dissension? “Old Timer” notwithstanding, I and others in Foxt'on know what I have written to be correct. Dissension has been rife for a long time, and something better than the present state of affairs will be inaugurated in the future to meet such positions as we have now reached. Then, to use his words again, we will get somewhere. Here we are, no work, no money, after all we have paid in for over 15 years, and all we get is charitable aid. I say without fear bf “Old Timer” that his letters are valueless when weighed against the facts. Wle need a more official statement of things than he has given. In the meantime we are hungry. —Yours, etc., FIBRE.