Yes, We Remember!

Wanganui Chronicle, 3 November 1949, Page 8

Yes, We Remember!

Sir,—During the last few days you have been running an electioneering campaign by means of a small Subleading article entitled “Do You Remember?’’ May I be permitted to ask you the same question? Lest there should be any misunderstanding, 1 may mention that I owe allegiance to no political party and am only interested in fair play. The “peaches and cream" with which you try to make your readers’ mouths water sounds to me suspiciously like one of the “specials" which grocers had to provide to entice custom in the good old days of “healthy competition’’ and which were sold at cost price—or under. The potato position today is, or should be well known to you as you have printed an explanation in your paper several times. While on the subject of potatoes, do you remember the hoax which was perpetuated by someone with a perverted sense of humour, offering work to men, and how many men walked miles to answer the advertisement, only to find it was a hoax? This was round about 1935, or perhaps a little earlier. Do you also remember about this time Mr. H. Jenkins accompanied the Rev. H. Goring on one of his missions of mercy up the Parapara Road and came back to describe the conditions of the men working in the relief camps up there? How they were working with sacking tied on their feet because they had no boots? Can you tell us how much the growers got per lb. for their potatoes? Will you also be just and tell your readers that the bulk of the tinned peaches are imported into New Zealand and that the price today is only a reflection of the increased price from the exporting countries. In conclusion, sir, I would like to refer to your leader in which you belittle Mr. Cotterill. I can only assume that you have not listened to the broadcasts of Parliament or you would have known something of the work which he has done as chairman of the Maori Affairs Committee. So, far from being the failure that you so glibly paint, him, I consider he has done a very good job of work in this respect alone and has, I believe, earned the respect of the whole House.—l am, etc., PERCY H. WARD.