INVERCARGILL’S LICENSING TRUST

Korero (AEWS), Volume 2, Issue 20, 9 October 1944, Page 26

INVERCARGILL’S LICENSING TRUST

As you request comments on your magazine, here is one which may not be easily digested. In connection with your article on Invercargill’s Licensing Trust in the issue of Korero dated the 28th August, might I express my extreme disgust at the composition of this article. I am no prude or wowser, but, frankly, I was amazed at the emanations contained therein. Firstly, might I protest against the extremely poor type of humour in the so-called “ poem.” To my mind this is nothing more or less than sacrilege of the highest order and could well have been left out. Probably, however, I may be behind the times in these days of enlightened education, but fail to see the necessity for anything of this kind. Secondly, I am afraid you have not conveyed a particularly good impression of the servicemen and servicewomen of Invercargill. I take it that the restoration of licensing was, apparently, the only reason they joined up. In any case, the less said about the last election the better, particularly as it has been publicly announced that the Services votes on the licensing issue in Invercargill totalled more than the number enlisted there.

Thirdly, and lastly, might I suggest that future publications savour less of political propaganda, a point on which I have heard considerable discussion. Keep It Clean.” [The statement that “it has been publicly announced that the Services votes on the licensing issue in Invercargill totalled more than the number enlisted there ” is inaccurate. An allegation by some person or organization should not be construed as a public announcement. According to information supplied by the Electoral Department there were on the Forces rolls (Army, Navy, and Air Force) 1,700 names of personnel who had gone overseas and were entitled to vote for Invercargill. Forces’ votes recorded in New Zealand numbered 718, which figure included men who had not been overseas and thus were not on the Forces’ rolls, and also any Invercargill men who had returned to New Zealand. As 1,719 Forces’ votes were recorded in New Zealand and overseas, obviously fewer voted than were entitled to. We invite our correspondent to write to us again telling us what he means by “ political propaganda ” and quoting the Korero articles or passages in articles which he thinks contain it. If he will do that, we will be glad to discuss his third point with him.]