The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1942 THE GROWING CHORUS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 84, 29 July 1942, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1942 THE GROWING CHORUS

County Traffic Inspector The Commissioner of Transport has approved the appointment of Mr A. Carling as County Traffic Inspector. /

SOBER thought is compelled to take notice of the growing clamour in England and throughout the Empire which demands the opening of a second European front-to relieve the growing distress of our Russian Allies. Not one. Briton, but to-day feels an uneasy twinge of conscience every time he reads of the desperate pleas for diversionary help, emanating from the sorely pressed Soviett. It was this thought alcne which animated the mass meeting in Trafalgar Square on Monday; it was this thought alone which enabled the representative of 700,000 British miners to pledge their unselfish support to the proposed new front in Europe:. Day after day the nation has been forced to watch impatiently the Nazi advance step by step into, industrial Russia. Hour by hour the Russian peoples have to endure the bitterness of seeing their hard-earned territory of last winter's campaign filched from them once again, and the armed Nazi monster drive remorselessly on. From the human view point it is next to impossible for any person with an ounce of chivalry and fellow feeling to stand idly by whilst a friend or an ally is crushed by a common enemy. In fairness therefore it is charitable to suppose that there are things beyond; our ken which prevent our immediate hastening to the rescue,, in traditional English style. But the most logical argument and the most practical lies in the preoccupation of those self same Nazi armies in Russia and the glaring opportunity for offensive which now presents itself —and which, don't forget, is never likely to come again. It is beyond comprehension to suppose that our high command is not fully conversant with the entire, position and the vast issues which are at stake. We arc net insensible to our own weaknesses and lack of knowledge as lay people but having the right of traditional freedom of expression we cannot be expected to assume an air of terrified and silent apathy such as is expected of the masses in Germany and in occupied countries. The demand for a second front finds echo in every corner of the Empire and; if we in Whakatane can find the topic the main-spring of conversation among ourselves, we can take it that the same subject is upon English and American lips throughout the world. The only possible explanation can be that the tremendous planning for such a campaign is already well in train and that it will not be long before a ringing cheer will greet the announcement that the long awaited British offensive, silent, firm and irresistable is in full swing—somewhere on the continent.. HORSE OUAeO EFFICIENCY SOMETHING of the strength and growing efficiency of the local Home Guard was furnished by the memorial parade on Sunday last at Ruatoki. The occasion was indicative of the swift response to the issue of uniforms and: equipment and illustrated once again the splendid material to be found in the ranks. From now on, with the hardening-up of the military control and the introduction of compulsory training there is no reason why the guard should not become an efficient,,, self contained command, embracing all able-bodied men not now in the armed forces. This is a ba,sis which was suggested nearly two years ago by Whakatane's Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, when the guard was first initiated and it is unfortunate to reflect that its achievement has just now been reached. Providing therefore the guard is not too drastically undermined by future ballots it is safe to sa,y that it can now be built up to something worthy of the fighting traditions of its namesake in the Old Country. May we express the hope that it may also be possible in tihe near future to hold a full battalion parade, in order to give the public an idea of the strength and bearing of the defence unit which is closest and most answerable to the people of these parts. BE PREPARED EXCELLENT advice may be borrowed from the well known scouting motto figured above, by New Zealanders at the present time. Arm-chair generals not a hundred miles from Whakatane were recently announcing that since the Coral Sea and Midway battles whereat the Japanese naval forces received' such a severe, mauling,, that all danger of 'invasion as far as this country was concerned had: vanished. A comforting thought, but don't forget that Japan had and possibly still has a claim to the third largest navy in the world; that she has been lying low for some six months since her lightning campaign through the Indies and that even now she has opened a new front in New Guinea. Beware of the self complacent attitude which already has given many millions in Europe bitter cause for regret. Japan is iai from beaten and has not even been met on equal terms as yet.

DOCTOR writes: "Results of Dr. Hair's Asthma Cure very favourable. .. . L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S." F. G. Macklow, Central Pharmacy, Whakatane.