Dear Sir

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 12, 4 February 1942, Page 4

Dear Sir

Letters to the Editor must be clearly written on one side of the paper only and where a nom-de-plume is used the name of the writer must be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the nghl to abridge* amend or withhold any letter or letters. PETROL RESTRICTIONS ?

Sir, —Your lady correspondent, under the non-de-plume, "No Picture Petrol" has donfe lier loyal good deed for the day, when she draws attention to the number of large private cars to be seen at the 1 pictures, especially as she has laid up her car and uses a cycle to do 13 miles to town and back. She further says that, she resents the "injustice bitterly" and asks if the Editor or any reader can explain. Before explaining it is as well to record very large majority of our farmers are so intensely loyal, that they and their wives and even the children, work 70 hours a week to help win the war, although the authorities make it illegal for a large portion of the population to work more than 40 hours including holidays. Oh the other hand a small minority of. farmers can be seen any day on the roads in their cars bent on sport and pleasure, while their neighbours work and bleed to make the coun-« try safe for them to live in without getting hurt.

They manage this by buying a truck and then the petrol controller assists them by allowing 50 to 100 gallons of. petrol a month which they often burn in non-essential work, for on some of the roads 01* which they operate, the licensed carrier cannot get half a load and could handle the whole of the produce without using any of the extra petrol mentioned above. There is also the manpower wasted in driving these unwanted trucks, which could be used in the war effort. Just now when the Japs are knocking at our front door, it is .time all fifth column efforts should be quenched, no matter what are their politics, creed or occupation. Yours etc., E.P.S. MEMBER.