CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24915, 14 May 1942, Page 6

CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE

“Wake Up,” expresses dissatisfaction with the way in which some union secretaries carry out their duties, inasmuch as they have, he alleges, worked against the interests of the members of their unions and have worked hand in hand with the employers. He describes one secretary as “an out-and-out Tory” and “absolutely a twister” who has succeeded for some considerable time in hoodwinking the workers. “Lisbeth” is "curious to know who the real rulers of New Zealand are — whether they are the persons for whom the electors voted or the unionists. If the unionists are the real rulers, who gave them the power? Why waste time in an attempt to inject the necessary courage into Mr Fraser? Find a leader, and even our women will follow.

“ Maran-atha ” writes in terms of warm appreciation of the “ wise, thoughtful, and sensible speech” by Mrs Grigg, M.P., in' the financial debate last week, and,' saying that Mrs Grigg has undoubted ability and the qualifications of leadership, asks if it would be possible, though unprecedented, to give her the opportunity of being Prime Minister .during this period of emergency. “Old Contemptible,” with 14 years’ experience as a soldier, holds that to withhold beer from a soldier would be to inflict punishment on him without a cause, and maintains that a glass ox beer is the best tonic that a soldier can have, but if he abuses it and allows it to render him unfitted to perform his duties he should be punished. “ Moderate Drinker,” Mornington, says that he saw, on visiting two city hotels on Monday, large stocks of bottled ale, which had presumably been purchased at the old price, yet the publicans were selling it at Is lid and 2s a bottle. Did the Price Tribunal, he asks, instruct its inspectors to see that all old stocks were sold before the increase was charged? He considers that the moderate drinker is being most disgracefully exploited, and suggests that a public meeting should be called, in an endeavour to persuade workers to keep away from the hotels until all old stocks are sold, or are offered at the old price. The brewers, he says, could easily have carried the extra taxation as their war effort.