THE MIDHIRST FACTORY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 4, 3 August 1916, Page 4

THE MIDHIRST FACTORY.

[To The Emxob >n Pobt.] Sir, —Will you kindly allow me a Uttle 'space in which to sa> a te., words in reply to my old i.i n.i .vi. uicnmond. J fear, Sir, that w.un reading my letter of the 27th i.st., Mr Richmoud's spectacles ;..,.sc hive been rather dim. or e.se, o.w.ig tj being overtired, his powers of ,„.. pivhension uuistt ha\o been somewhat minimised, tor, Sir, i do not remember complaining at ail about our worthy manager, Mr Kleeman. What 1 did say was that (lor years) some of the suppliers had complained of the management of our .store, or, in other words, of the way the business was done and the store conducted, and my contention (or meaning at any rate) was that Mr Kleeman did exceedingly well considering be had never been trained for the storckeeping business, and considering the vast number of other duties he has to perform. I hope. Sir. that 1 have now made myself clear on that point, so that Mr Richmond can understand. Mr Richmond also referred to the length of time Mr Kleeman had.been with the Company, and to the success of our Company, and all this he attributes to Mr Kleeman's skill and his commercial training. Now, Sir. we all know that Mr Kleeman is a jolly good manager. We appreciate him to the full, but 1 thought that it was a dairy factory manager's duty to look after the manufacture of the butter and cheese, as the case may be, and not to attend to the commercial side of the business, or not the main portion. If so, then where do our directors and secretary come in? I hope, Sir. that they are not wasting their time: ten good men wasting so such time will never do ! T notice that Mr Richmond, after eulogising Mr Kleeman's work and telling of the great and successful Company he has built up, says the Directors and staff should be' accorded a vote of thanks but he doesn't say they have done anything. What sort of logic is that. And now 1 come to the part of Mr Richmond's letter that shocked m e most, 0 f all—which relates to what i said re making overtures to Mr Hiarkness re purchase of his business. I thought Mr Richmond was broad-minded and chivalrous, but he says we have a store already erected and a splendid goodwill in the shareholders and plenty of ground on which to build a bigger store if needs be, and he doesn't want anything to do with Mr Harkness, who can go to the dogs if he likes, so long as the biggest and richest factory in the province is on top and paying a big dividend ! Now, Sir, what I eontend is this (.and I don't care who knows it) Mr Hiarkness was in business close alongside our factory long before there was any store thought of iu connection with the factory, and for our factory to go in for a store on S large scale, would mean that Mr Harkness would be forced out, because all the suppliers would naturally patronise their own store. Thus Mr Harkness ■ would he left with his buildings on his hands which would be of no earthly use to him. The site on which Mr Harkness' store stands is lb" best situated of any near the factory. Therefore, I say, if the Midhirst D'dry Company ever goes in for storekepjHiig on a large scale, in common fairness to a, fellow man. let us purchase Mr Harkness' business. Apologising, Sir. for trespassing so much on your valuable space, and thanking you in anticipation. —1 am, etc. P. H. WELLINGTON.