RED CROSS HALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 13, 9 October 1945, Page 4

RED CROSS HALL

Sir,—As Mr Warren says > we are entitled to our own but when they are not surely some corrections can be made. I am sure Mr Bathe did not make any attack upon the good work done by the local Red Cross during the past five and a half years. The position now seems to be ? that the bulk of the work the Red Gross has in the past been doing, will during the next *2 months be drawing to a close or at least the part it will be taking, in such matters will bq very small. It is strange, therefore at this stage when the job is much smaller to see the organisation is not prepared to forego such work unjtil the homeless are attended to.

I quote from Mr Warren's "At a public meeting held in the Whakatane Borough Chambers several months ago" one point might be made clear. How did they get the permit, and materials so when I have been told that at least 2 builders have had work on hand for two years. How did this come about in several months ? I quote "The materials (not timber) are on the job." That's a most strange remark from one who cannot go to work without passing the job. when as be ought to know timber was being stacked for that* job on or near the building site, about the 26th July 5 1945 a that's two months ago !

Now re the Building Controller. He in Mr Warren's opinion appears to be right in this case. Yet th» Borough Council of which he is a member has been protesting to the said Controller for one or two against his actions. I also notice in the Beacon of 7th August, our Harbour Board is protesting against the issuing of permits for , halls. As for the St. John Ambulance that job is being built in the main by free labour, during holidays and weekends thus not drawing on labour which -could be used for what our local M.P. says must take first homes for the people with returned servicemen at the top of the list.

I quote again "There is a shortage of timber." Now why has that position come about. I say because more buildings have been going up during the war than was the position thus the people must now have more money, and can see a far brighter prospect before them. They now want homes.

I will now show the amount of timber cut as given by Hon. G. F. Skinner: From 1934- to 1939 1 (6 years before the war). From 1940 to 1945 2 ) 037 > 000 > 000 ft. (6 years during the war). We thus show a gain during the war years of 361, ft. Now for Hansard No. 24 18 to 25 in which, we find on Page 188 Mr W. Sullivan M.P. showing that from 1939 to 1945 5 years a total of as being cut, so that during 5 years of war and one year 28 j OO0 > 000 ft. more timber was cut than 6 years before, the war. I think the figures will show the extra demand. The 1944 figure appears to be a record; the total ber» ing 352,000,000 feet.

My last point which might be of interest to many. How many towns with a population of Whakatane are building or have during the past two years have built a new Red Cross Hall of the size now being erected in Commerce Street. I hope this letter makes clear the many points which are referred to in general terms in Mr Waren's letter. I have no objection to the building of these halls other than that hous. ing should take first place along with hospitals and schools as quoit* ed by our M.P. in the' Borough Council meetings. If the. timber shortage is so acute could I be supplied with the names of a few uiw employed as I couW/JTI help in finding them a job. I had#,® "' request for four a few weeks ago. Yours etc.. HARRY CARR Carpentexs Agent.