Army Revue Answers Criticism

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 43, 23 February 1944, Page 4

Army Revue Answers Criticism

(To the Editor.) Sir, —*,My attention has been drawn to an incredible statement in Monday's issue of the "Times” made by the Mayor of Feilding (~Mr. T. L. Seddon) at Thursday’s meeting of the Zone E Patriotic Committee regarding the purpose of, and justification for, the staging of the Army Revue, “Off Parade,” in the Drill Hall, Feilding, on Saturday night, February 12. llis damaging - statements and unfair inferences have caused the deepest concern amongst a very large body of WAAC’s and soldiers as well as many citizens of this and other districts who (.unlike ,Mr. Seddon) know the facts of the position and appreciate them accordingly. Mr. Seddon's ill-considered remarks do a great disservice to a voluntary organisation which in so many ways is doing a tremendous amount of good and as business manager of the revue I have been asked to flatly refute the unwarranted observations made by the Mayor of Feilding. When questioned as to the object of the performance and the authority for holding it Mr. Seddon said he knew little about it except that it was advertised as being connected with the Army Education Welfare Service. May 1 remind Mr. Seddon that at the time I launched the advertising campaign in Feilding I interviewed him in his office, explained the whole purpose of the revue, and simply asked (as a courtesy to the Mayor of the town) if he cared to suggest any local organisation which might be happy to take charge of supper arrangements for the cast after the show, a courtesy which had so readily been offered to us by other organisations in other towns where the revue has played. I emphasised that the .Manawatu Army Entertainment Club, which is a private organisation, sponsored by A.E.W.S. and controlling the revue as part of its activities, would he only too pleased to pay all supper costs if some local women would look after the arrangements. This information was also vouchsafed to the Town Clerk (Mr. C. 11. Tate) who was most co-operative from the outset, and in actual fact the Club did provide, on request, some of the ingredients. If the Mayor was so preoccupied with his own business affairs at our interview that he failed to assimilate my remarks he did at least read our advertisements in the l’ress which clearly stated: “Proceeds to Further Army Education and Camp Entertainment.” The ■Mayor stated emphatically in the Press that the revue was “definitely not for patriotic purposes and as far as A.E.W .S. was concerned “it was a Government responsibility and there should be no invitation to the public to subscribe to its cost.” In case Mr. Seddon should have any more illusions let me state the full extent oi the Government’s financial assistance towards A.E.W.S. it is a grant of 2/6 per annum per unit member. If a unit lias personnel totalling say, 16, that is £2 per annum to further Army Education, develop cultural talent and provide certain amenities for camp entertainment. Is it any wonder that A.E.W.S. in the Manawatu sponsored the formation of an Army Entertainment Club which has as its chief object the cultural development of talent amongst the WAAC’s and soldiers throughout the province, and at the same time gives the public good value for its money to raise much-needed funds? The Club is not under Army direction but has the sympathetic backing of the Army authorities. The Army members of the Club organise and conduct their own affairs, Rave to raise their own funds and fneet all then own costs. If they are singularly successful in this they cannot very well be condemned seeing that under the constitution of the Club they undertake to give half of all nett profits to A.E.W.S. for development of straight education in local military districts. . This money is wisely expended ir. needful directions where grant, from the recognised patriotic channels have either been refused or too lons delayed. Here is a typical example of how the revue profits are expended. At the PuUeora Sanatorium are of soldiers. For several months there has been no occupational therapist on the stall A.E.W.S. bought (out of the revue funds) nearly ±l3O worth of tools, arranged for an instructor and set up a carpenter’s class at the sanatorium. Because we had funds A.E.W.S. got action and the soldiers got satisfaction. . To tlie boys and girls who aie making this possible Mr. Seddon gave an unpleas ant rebuke when he said: -'lf sonic organ-p-ations become too grasping and corn! too often before the public then they must be knocked back.” It would not be on, of the Place here to suggest that Mr Seddon get down to realities. Doe. h, realise that nearly every soldier in tnt Clu’j is doing a full-time job in the Army is either grade 2 or 3, is giving nigh lifter night of his leisure time to rehearslfs and not receiving a farthing for hi. nains. How much more pleaant and le munerative for most of them if they wen back in civilian occupations drawing th< nice largo salaries that seem to be avail able to those who go after them. Bet it not be forgotten that the Clul cannot exist without funds but whereve possible the Club does play the retu for patriotic purposes. It dill so 11 Pahiatua (at the Mayor's request) It 1. playing at the. Opera House next month i Wellington for patriotic purposes. It Plaj. in the Opera House, Palmerston North next Saturday night when the whole o the proceeds will be devoted to the Sicl and Wounded Patriotic Appeal. My suggestion t.o the Mayor of 1* eliding is that ho take time off from his duties or Saturday night, and in order to get a far and accurate appreciation of what i; really what, that he view the patriotu performance of our revue in Palmerstor North, something which he omitted to dt in Feilding.—l am, etc., G. STEPHENS (S/Sgt.), Business Manager, Army Revue. Reservoir Level When the level of the dam at Tiritei was measured yesterday morning it was found to he 7ft. OJin. below the spillway. Although 220 points of rain were recorded by the caretaker (Mr. P. C. Toms) ut till 0.30 a.m. yesterday, he said this was not enough to make any appreciable difference to the level. A little moie water was flowing in from the watershed. It was ascertained from the City Council that this present level is a record, the previous lowest level of sft. BJin being recorded on April 19, 1939. Previous to that dale 4ft. TJin. was th f lowest level recorded on April 8, 1928. Glass on Foxton River Beach Broken glass which is being washed up on the Foxton river beach was mentioned at last night’s meeting of the executive of the Automobile Association (Manawatu), members pointing to the damage it could do to car tyres and injury to children’s feet. One member asked if the origin of the glass was the Foxton rubbish tip, hut nobody knew for certain, although it was stated that there was a lot of glass dumped there as well asother “stinking stuff,” which was washed down the river and was no good to residents at the beach. The association is ' placing drums on the waterfront in the hope that anyone seeing the glass will pick it up and place it in the drums.