THE BLACKOUT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 178, 10 November 1941, Page 2

THE BLACKOUT

TAURANGA'S UNNECESSARY ORDEAL MINISTER'S REPLY TO MEMBER - "If the whole town is blacked-out at night time it is because the regulations have been exceeded," declares the Hon. R. Semple, Minister of National Service, in answer to Mr F. W. Doidge, M.P., printed in Parliamentary Supplementary Order Paper No. 17. Mr Doidge asked the Minister of National Service whether some degree of uniformity cannot be devised in what are known as the "blackout" regulations enforced under the Emergency Precautions Scheme? In Tauranga the Avhole town is nightly thrown into an inky darkness as the result of a complete black-out. An officer of the Department. recently visited the toAA'n at the request of the borough, but refused to grant any concession whatever. When this officials report Avas presented to the Tauranga Borough Council the position Avas described as a straiglitout farce, and the Mayor reported how in Auckland he had seen Avharves and shipping a blaze of floodlights. Mir Semple replied: The Lighting Restrictions Emergency Regulations apply uniformly throughout the coastal areas of the Dominion. The only request made to the Dominion Lighting Controller by the Tauranga Emergency Precautions Scheme Executive and the Tauranga Business Organisations Avas for some degree of lighting in shop AvindoAvs. The Dominion Lighting Controller advised that lighting can be permitted in Avindows facing inland, but that no lighting could be alloAved in Avindows facing the open sea. Il the Avhole town is blacked-out at nightt time is not on account of instructions from the Dominion Lighting Controller, but because the regulations have been exceeded by the Tauranga Emergency Precautions Scheme Executive. The matter is therefore in their hands to correct" Mr Doidge, before leaving Wellington, discussed the matter, at the request of the Tauranga Business Organisation, AA'ith the Dominion Lighting Controller. Mr Kissell supports the Minister's views and Mr Doidge undertook to examine the position on his return to Tauranga and report back to Wellington. Rehabilitation of Maoris The need for Miaori guidance in the rehabilitation of the Maori soldier was stressed by Father Riordan. Maori Missioner, in a talk to Hastings Rotarians on the problems of the modern Maori. "Our Maori soldiers are beginning to return to us and Ave must be resolved to pay them the debt Ave oavc them in the same measure as Ave meet out to our own boys," he said. "In the rehabilitation of the Maori soldier be x sure to give him the opportunity to express his point of vieAV as a member of the administrate committees which Avill administer this colossal duty. If he is to be dictated to by pakehas, then Ave Avill fail. If his special point of VieAV is considered and acted upon, Ave, shall be a long way on the road to success in dealing Avitli the problem of the modern Maori." Sheep Trek The annual trek when several thousand sheep travel by road or boat to Tauranga from the East Co.ast has commenced, although it will be several months before it reaches its height.