Letters: Memories of the grand old building

One reader writes about working at the old Chronicle building on Drews Ave. Photo / Bevan Conley

A relative in Whanganui has just sent me a copy of 165 years of the Chronicle.

Looking at the photo of the grand old building on the corner of Drews Ave gave me memories of walking through that front door late evening to run the six-unit offset press with Bob Scott and assistant Wally from 1974-78.

We ran an average of 12,000 copies of which took about an hour. In those days it was mostly all black with an odd bit of colour for adverts with a cigarette one in four colours.

Friday night was the busiest when we also printed a weekly 24-page giveaway paper for Palmerston North, I think it was called The Tribune.

As you said The Herald was printed by the day shift, also there were various small run publications and student magazines.

GEOFF YEEND
Matamata

Ardern on the front foot

Judith Collins and David Seymour are at it again - trying to make a political gain at a time of crisis. Criticising Jacinda Ardern for not fronting up to a 1pm Covid-19 update when case numbers spiked.

Where was she? Fronting up for three days in the East Coast communities, encouraging reluctant people to get vaccinated and we all know that vaccination is now our best line of defence.

Fronting up is a hallmark of Jacinda Ardern. Think back to the mosque massacre and the White Island eruption. She was won worldwide acclaim for fronting up.

It is time Collins and Seymour and some other commentators [Hosking the worst] got off Jacinda Ardern's back and joined the force to beat this virus.

I wonder what Collins and Seymour did this past weekend?

Up till now, they have been criticising Jacinda Ardern for fronting up too often and gaining a perceived political advantage.

KEN CARVELL
Whanganui

Chopper in payment

Instead of giving people "incentives" to get vaccinated how about giving the vaccinated people the reward. The so-called "helicopter payment" of $1500 per adult was suggested last year by the Prime minister but now conveniently forgotten about.

I'm sure that would act as an incentive to the unvaccinated and be far more effective than all the other measures used so far.

K WALL
Whanganui