The Boycott of Palmerston

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6918, 23 July 1932, Page 6

The Boycott of Palmerston

To the Editor. Sir, —lily letter of Monday last has been blessed or cursed according to the viewpoint of my critics. Mr. P. G. Guy, of Peilding, reckons I e.m an entertaining sort of chap, but that 1 lack any constructive aud so lie sets out to prove his argument that by shifting the offices to Peilding much good will accrue to the board, and that the suggestion of a boycott ol: Palmerston North is all bunkum. May I remind him that the Manawatu Daily Times, in its report of the last meeting, of the board, placed on record the fa.ct that the chairman, Mr. McElroy, after a letter had been received from the Palmerston North City Council, said: "Wo know how to deal with Palmerston North now.” The same gentleman, in reply to a question as to why the order for the construction of the new truck bodies was placed in Fcilciiug, said: "it was to teach Palmerston North a lesson.” Certain board members, I under-

stand, heartily' approved of llio chairman’s explanation and this, in my opinion, is tantamount to a boycott, and, as

“chickens conic homo to roost,” sonic thoughtless people may in the near future regret their past actions. I don’t propose to impose on y'our valuable space to reply in detail lo the statements of Mr. Guy, but he says that with the office in Peilding he could “sack” an officer and save £SOO a year. I put it t-o him that ho and his pals on the board could work the wnolc of the staff 1G hours a day at the oid rates ol pay' and save £SOOO a year. This naturally follows what he is pledged to, namely', cutting and “sacking” the ompioy'ccs. Then he proposes centralising all motor vehicles in a garage at Pending, so that the enginccr-ln-chicf can “keep his eye on them,” but in the next breath he is going to appoint capable leading 'men at various points of the compass in the board’s district. Presumably these men will have to use “shanks’ pony” to get to their job, or maybe Mr. Guy reckons they could easily use one of the many cream lorries that arc buzzing about the country. If not and they are still to use the board’s vehicles, the engineer will have to have a roving eye to keep up to them. —I am, etc., RECIPROCITY.