HAS TO BE GOOD!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 195, 19 December 1941, Page 5

HAS TO BE GOOD!

YOUR "PETROL STORY"

"HARD LUCK" TALES MISFIRE

It's serious—this walking business, although the bootmaker is not moaning and he has a "cobber" in the cycle dealer. Still it is serious and*— harder on some than others.. But it seems that those hardest hit are taking it better than many others*, so perhaps we may enjoy a smileat the inevitable funny side which, no calamity is entirely without. A loud moaning noise could be heard yesterday and on further*investigation was found ,to be issuing from the Post Office. Timidly venturing inside a newshound was confronted with a queue several yards long with people in same with faces of similar geographical layout ■ —only longer. A harrassed and long suffering clerk was patiently listening to hard luck stories and firmly delive'ring the knock out with Jce Louis regularity. He was tough that chap and need- . ed to be —in fact he is very welcome to keep his job. We fear, however, that his stamina ,will be sadly depleted in the first day. A farmer presented his applications for juice. "What do you use the 45 gallons for?" queried the clerk. "That's for haymaking," replied the cocky. "Oh! 45 gallons a month eh! Well what's the other 30 for?" The farmer? "That's for general farm work." (He went on to fully and carefully detail the many jobs which depended on benzine—in fact the listener felt that he was really modest in his requests and should have far more to keep the wheels of primary industry working. "Well I'm afraid you can't have this amount —your licence is cancelled!" firmly came the reply. Well, how the dickens can I get to town then?" said the man on the land who evidently has to now stay on his land. "Oh, walk it," was the weary

answer. Then we had one of the gentler sex, who with a winning smile (that went wrong) placed her papers on the counter. "What's this for—give us more details?" Lady: "Oh! I use a stove, Iron and other household necessities that work on petrol." "But papers say commercial travelling? No, your licence is cancelled." "But how can I cook then?" wail' ed the woman. The coup de grace came mercilessly: "Oh, buy an electric stove I .suppose!" Sixth in the queue was a young hopeful business man". As the debates wended wearily on and he fidgetted from one sore-with-hiking foot to the other he could be seen to have a wiser look in his eye ami his general facial expression by th& time his turn came revealed a farebearing expression. He slapped down his papers: M Wellk yes -or no?"