Dear Sir

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 35, 30 March 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 tight to abridge* amend or withhold any letter or letters. HOME GUARD v E.P.S. Sir, I have been very interested fn reading, and greatly surprised at the opinions expressed, in reference! to these two most important units —the Home Guard and the E.P.S. Granted that most of the writers are apparently keen Home Guardsmen and wanting to have their units up to strength. But why weaken one' for the benefit of the other? It has been suggested, that all fit men should be transferred to the Home Guard—of course any "cripple" can be used as Fire Fighters, Ambulance' workers etc. Perhaps those suggesting the transfer have tried out this type of work, if not, may I suggest they do so before they state all fit men should be !in the: Home Guard. Where would England have been during the last blitz without her E.P.S., Fire Fighters and Ambulance men? If it had not been for the wonderful work of these sections I am afraid most of the raided' towns would have been non-existent to-day. The Home Guard is naturally the fighting unit but its services will only be needed when the enemy invades. The "non-combatant unfits" (E.P.5.,) will be on the job long before that as most invasions have always been preceeded by air raids and heavy shelling. In my humble opinion it is necessary that both these units should be well organilsed and prepared but as certain sections of the E.P.S. re-* quire a number of "fit" 1 men why belittle them and state they should all be in the Home Guard. This is no time for argument, and I suggest that instead we should all get on with our own particular job whatever it is and make certain that we at least are properly trained and prepared to do our part when necessity calls. Apologising for taking up so much of your space. Yours etc.., E.P.S. BLACKOUT BREACHES Sir, —Why not blackout our milking sheds which are a blaze of light between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Surely if it is necessary to have a blackout in the evening it should be .necessary to have one in the wee sma* hours. Let our cows put up \yitli the discomfort of being milked in the dark. As for the cow cockies, well,, who< cares about them. Incidentally, wherever the Japs have strayed on our road it has always j been in daytime. Yours etc., BLACKOUT.