VERY PETTY!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 75, 23 May 1944, Page 5

VERY PETTY!

DEPARTMENTAL LETTER A RAP FOR COUNTY COUNCIL u ■■ A letter which rather made the members of the Whakatane County Council sit up and 1 take notice was read! at last Friday's meeting from the Controlling' Officer of Detention (National Service Department) relative to the work of the Galatea Detainees during the recent ~ flood emergency. The letter referred to the recent communication from the County Council to the Manager Galatea Estate and drew attention to the omission of any mention in the letter of the great assistance rendered during the floods by officers and detainees of the camp. It was regretted that there is no mention made af this fact and in order that such aspect might not be overlooked, particularly in view of the Council's previous criticism of the inmates, the Council's attention was drawn to the matter. The writer stated further that he was not courting publicity in the work that had been performed, but suggested that it. was only fair that the Council's records should state the facts and that any thanks which, were conveyed should be forwarded to the right persons. The Detention staff at Galatea would be pleased to render assistance at any time of emergency and to mobilise the inmates for such purpose in future. "We've got one of the greatest emergencies on at the present time," said Cr Luxton. "Have those chaps done anything to assist out in that?" Cr Cawte said that lie too objected to the tone of the letter. In past years the workers on the Estate ha<i always been willing to: assist in times of emergency and they didn't look for kudos either. Cr Luxton: We are in the midsit of a great world struggle at the present time and I think it is a most trivial thing in view of the good treatment these men are receiving to have a Officer write to. us in this fashion. He moved that the letter be received. Seconding, the chairman agreed that it was very petty.