COLLECT TELEGRAM

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 40020, 7 November 1929, Page 2

COLLECT TELEGRAM

MIL POLSON OBJECTS TO PAY.

Dannevirke, Yesterday

The quest of Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., Dominion president of the -.Farmers’ Union, for information, has resulted in him falling foul of the Dannevii’be County 'Council. information which he requested was forwarded by collect wife. Mr. Poison refused to accept it and the County Council later decided to (ask him to pay the amount, one (and twopence. At to-day’s meeting . Mr. Poison wrote explaining that in 'order to get information to enable him to see that a fair thing was done to his fellow farmers he dispatched over 100 telegrams at his own expense asking for information, not by collect wire but at the ■earliest convenience. He has followed the general practice in refusing to receive the Dannevirke telegram, and three others because be imagined that they had been sent collect toy mistake. He asked if the council considered it reasonable to charge him for a collect wire linden* the circumstances. If .so he would forward the one and Iwopenr-e by return mail.

i The council decided to inform Mr. Poison that it considered the request a reasonable one, and that it required payment. , In the same connection a letter was received flrom the Dominion secretary of the Farmers’ Union stating' that the chairman of a certain North Island County Council Rad called at his office and handed him one and twopence in stamps with which to pay the cost, of the council’s telegram to Mr. Poison. The donor stated that he was so angry when he read the Press report concerning the discussion about the telegram that he asked that the enclosed amount be forwarded. 'The council decided to write to the Dominion Farmers’ Un-. ion that the council resented the interference of the* Farmers’ Union in what was considered a business transaction and to refund the one and twopence to the Farmers’ Union.'