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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 279, 5 March 1941, Page 4

Sir,—l have lived in various parts of New Zealand, have been in Whakatane for the past 13 years, and as an ex-hotel keeper, can honestly say that the order here is better than in most other places. The Maori may be loud at times but he can teach us a lesson in good fellowship he shows towards his neighbours. The spirit shown in your correspondents letters, and in the Council meetings, is one of distrust and incrimination, which is much to be deplored at a time when our boys are overseas lighting for tli% country. I Avould not send my son the local paper that his mates should sling off at him about small-minded Whakatane. The man on the street thinks it a great joke to lead of councillors taiking about after hour trading who are known to be offenders themselves. The hotelkeepers should know them. Nobody knows AvhoJ "Fed Up" is. Perhaps he is a would-be dictator who has thought it safer to "smoke screen" at present. If so I suggest he should be treated as a subversive influence in these critical times. Yours etc., GEO. L. WASHER. Sir, —Many and various are the views expressed regarding the wave of rowdyism that has spread over the Bay of Plenty the last few years. Pointed reference is frequently made to the doings of the native race. Whakatane is not alone in this respect. The trouble extends all around the Bay of Plenty—from Te Araroa to Katikati, and further. However one aspect of the matter does not appear to have been given due prominence. To my mind the chief contributing cause,! at least where the native race is concerned, is the plentiful supply of easy free money derived from the native land development schemes, Government relief works, and road exten--1 sion employment, coupled with the 40-hour working week. Not many months back, Bishop Bennett, the veteran Maori churchman,; publicly deplored the excessive liquor drinking h*abits that were depraving his people. These causes —flushness of money and only 5 days in the week to work, are having the same baneful effect on many of the white people. How true the adage printed in the old school books. "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do." Yours etc*, OBSERVER.