Dear Sir

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 51, 12 March 1946, Page 4

Dear Sir

Letters to the Editor must b* clearly written on one side of the paper only and where a nom-de-plume is used the name of ' the writer inusi be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the right to amend or withhold any letter or letters.

CIVIC PRIDE Sir, —Not so many months ago we were in the throes of a campaign to add to the beauties and attractions of this beautiful little town. And the result? One’s mind turns to our lovely beach, our glorious pohutukawas, our fine Paper Mills, our infant flowering cherry walks, etc., and now! What an addition: “Beer Drinking Competitions !” One can well imagine the appeal of our next tourist propaganda, listing all our real attractions, and then: “Don’t forget to visit Whakatane; — Home of the Beer Drinking Champions ! !” What an attraction ! And one can easily realise the particular class of tourist such an. asset will cause to flock to Whakatane. Beaches won’t matter, pohutukawas, flowering cherries, nothing will matter to them but the ever flowing stream of amber ! Why, at this rate, it should not be -long before Whakatane will have a reputation on a par with that of some of our outlying districts wherebeer seems to reign supreme. It will then perhaps be in order to change the name of our business thoroughfare from the Strand to the Parade (of the Dead Marines). Where is our Civic Pride? Has it dried up completely in the recent drought? What are our civic fathers dreaming about to permit such a method of raising funds for disabled soldiers and their families (or for any other purpose), as public beer drinking competitions? The writer is a returned soldier, and as such is positively disgusted at such a method being countenanced by the R.S.A. He knows of others also who are so fed up with this, to them, unsatisfactory aspect of the R.S.A. that we no longer support the Association. The number of such is probably more than the R.S.A. realise. We have not forgotten our stricken cobbers: we.are heart and soul in favour with raising funds for this particular purpose, but surely Whakatane is being given ample stimulus to give without including such a method as this. The writer isc completely and thoroughly

DISGUSTED.