PUBLIC OPINION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 148, 15 February 1932, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION

The "Post" at all times welcomes correspondence from its re'aders. It must, however, he clearly understood that we accept no responsibility for the views expressed by our correspondents. COMMUNITY GARDENS Sir, — As one who is conversant with the history of the community gardens since their ineeption, may I be permitted to reply to the lament of "Disgusted," in your issue of the 12th inst. I will deal with his complaints in the order in which they appear. In the first place, sir, at no time has any one man had sole authority over the distribution of vegetables. It has happened on a few .oecasions that there has been only one man in the shed, but this was unavoidable, and, fortunately, at that time there were not many applicants for vegetables. Regarding the varying hours of distribution, your correspondent is rather mixed in his times. It is quite true that at first the hours were from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., but experience showed that by 5.30 p.m. everyone had received his rations, and as the men responsible for the distribution were giving their services voluntarily there was no reason for keeping tliem from their meals later than was necessary. The hours were then changed to 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday and from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on Saturdays. These changes were advertised both verbally and by written notice. "Disgusted" mentions the hours of 11 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., but no distribution has ever taken place at those times. In deference to those workers who had obtained employment at the race course on Saturday, distribution was made on Friday evening and a notice to that effect was posted on the depot wall on the previous distribution day. Your correspondent pointedly omits mention of the time at which distributions finish, and his absurd contention that a man ceasing work at 5 p.m. is required to be at the depot at 3.30 or even 4.30, is in keeping with the rest of his complaints. The statement that a man with a dozen children received only 7lbs. of potatoes is also contrary to fact, as a list of every family and its dependents is carefully kept, and I am in a position to state that if any recipients has that number of children, he is hiding his light under a bushel, for no family of that size figures on the list. Furthermore the ration of potatoes is fixed by the Central Relief Committee on the basis of ilb. per person per day, and each issue is weighed. The other vegetables are distributed pro rata according to the supply available. In fact, "Disgusted," in admitting the necessity for a packhorse to carry away the vegetables, defeats his own contentions. The allegation that one man received a saclc of potatoes is one that could be made only under a nom de plume and deserves as much consideration as the later statement that the "garden party" are the only people who get any vegetables. On examining Friday's list I find that 42 families with a total of 173 dependents received vegatables on that day. This, sir, is an increase of seven families over the previous list, and is an answer in itself to the statement that "many people have ceased going." In a scheme such as this, criticism is inevitable but, in justiee to those who are doing the work I have been compelled to answer such unjust criticism as "Disgusted" has to offer, although I am personally inclined to ignore it. In conclusion, sir, I hope that in blowing up hhe "garden party" — save the mark — your correspondent will not injure himself or those for whom he professes to write. I would also ask "Disgusted" if any efforts of his helped to make the gardens the success they undoubtedly are. Thanking you for the use of valuable space. — I am, etc. B. DANIELS, Rotorua, 13/2/32. King St.