On Army business

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 638, 28 May 1996, Page 4

On Army business

• Referring to Lieutenant Colonel G D Cain's letter to the editor (Not army business) in the 21 May 1996 edition of the Bulletin\ Sometimes when we hit a "raw nerve" people react in different ways as in the negative response to my letter by Lieutenant Colonel GD Cain. I would like to congratulate the colonel and his wife for stating their support of the community shopping centre in Waiouru. Hopefully more people will follow his example. I will not apologise for the points or questions I had included in my letter "Support of Army businesses". Yes, the Army is an employer and it is also a business management service. They manage, control, oversee and make decisions that affect that shopping complex. To say they are not in the management service is absolute 'crap' . Right under the nose of the Army, people are advertising their business in the Tussock Times and the local newspaper — the ones which are operating in the Army housing area. To suggest I should ring the local police is pathetic. I am damn sure that they have better things to spend taxpayers' money on than to see if, for example, there is an illegal hairdresser operating in camp. At one stage there was no butcher in the community centre, there is no chemist and if you can see a bank in the community centre then I need my eyes tested. Finally, to be accused of 'hiding behind anonymity of pseudonym", the last time I sighted my birth certificate one of my given names was 'Joe'. If the letter of reply by Lt Col G D Cain was a personal view then fine, that is his right. But if it was a reply on behalf of the Army and meant to belittle my opinion then obviously standards of 'maturity', 'self discipline', 'clear thinking' and 'leading by example' have dropped. If something positive comes out of our 'difference of opinion' that is good, if not, then the editor of the Bulletin will be busy.

Joe

Clarke

LETTERS