“BEASTLY MONEY.”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5442, 1 July 1929, Page 2

“BEASTLY MONEY.”

OUTSPOKEN CRITICISM. “THE WEALTHY PEOPLE.” Outspoken criticism of the a wealthy people” was voiced at the annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Society by Mr J. H. Absolum. The matter under discussion was the erection of a memorial to pioneer presidents of the society on the showgrounds, the building to take the form of a Plunket rest room. The building is to be in particular a memorial to the late Mr J. H. Coleman, one of the foundation members.

At the meeting it was stated that £730 had so far been subscribed towards the cost. Mr Absolum commented that this was only £lOO more than when the balance-sheet was printed.

“It is all very disappointing,” he declared, “but I find that if you approach the working man you get the best response. Leave the wealthy people alone,, I say. The working man will give you his half-crown or his dollar willingly, and I have a lot ’ of time for him, for he seems to realise that the building we are going to put up will be a convenience for his women-folk, and he appreciates it.

Leave Wealthy Men Alone.

“It has been my experience in canvassing that the working man is the man who will give, and I think that if other members will adopt that policy we will soon get the money in. Let them stick to their beastly money.”

There was loud laughter and some applause at this remark.

Mr Absolum : You may laugh, but these are the facts. I have approached men worth thousands, and they have turned me down and gone away into a hotel and had a drink.’ A Voice : If you don”t look out you will be the leader of the Labour Party. The president, Mr R. H. Todd, remarked that the disappointing feature of the collection for the Coleman Memorial was not the average size of the donations, but the umber of them. Out of nearly 2000 members only about 250 had so far contributed.

He remarked that the total cost of the building was expected to be about £llOO, and as £7OO was now in hand the question of going ,on with the building would be decided at the next meetings.