The Bay Of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 1942 SOLOMONS BECOME MAJOR ISSUE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 92, 17 August 1942, Page 4

The Bay Of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 1942 SOLOMONS BECOME MAJOR ISSUE

THE disclosure by Washington that something approaching one hundred and fifty ships were engaged in the Solomon Islands attack has* caused, a hasty readjustment to be made by those who were inclined to regard the venture as a sideshow of the Pacific war. To-day the conflict has reached such dimensions that there are now serious conjectures as to whether Japan will not be forced to bring into immediate requisition her main battle fleet, if she intends to hold the islands, which are in effect the best spring-board she has yet seized for the potential thrust against Australia. The issue is clouded to-day because America following her policy of silence has once more belied her greatest national trait and is leaving the world to guess just what is taking place in the battle. Tokyo on the other hand; is pouring forth the usual radio propaganda, claiming absurd figures in American losses and handing the palm of victory to. the narrow-headed Nippon commander. Whatever the situation, it is plain that the battle is fast developing into the hub of South Pacific action. Upon this struggle is being built a set of growing circumstances which may well lead to the precipitation of the full scale Japanese attack . which as everybody knows was the inevitable outcome of the slow encircling movement of Northern Australia. The concentration of so many American craft in a single spot must undoubtedly have taken Japan somewhat by surprise, and they like the average person in Australia and New Zealand were probably mistaken as to the true strength of the American attack. With one hundred and fifty ships engagedi heavily protected fiom the air, it must be obvious to Togo's war cabinet that this is no mere sideshow; but a full scale military attack which must be taken seriously unless the. carefully planned attack upon the island continent is to be placed in jeopardy. There is indeed every reason to feel that Japan if she is unwillin a for strategic reasons, to relinquish her on the. Salomons, may yet be compelled to swing into action her main fleet, or at least a goodly portion thereof.

RUBBER SALVAGE

POSSIBLY the fact that there is no financial inducement has caused people to overlook the great necessity for rubber salvage but the fact remains that in Whakatane since the recent appeal for waste rubber there has been a comparatively poor public response. An extract from a circular recently issued by the Canterbury Reclamation Board is quoted for general information. "Absolute finaltity regarding prices has not yet been reached, but a temporary local arrangement has been made which is in every way satisfactory. The rubber companies will pay prices ranging from £30 per ton for the finest grades down to £4 per ton. Since the announcement in this respect was made in the newspapers further progress has been made and we are now in a position to announce that all classes of rubber goods can be collected. The items that will bring in the highest price are crepe rubber shoe soles (£3O per ton), cycle inner tubes and milking ma,chine, inflations (£ls per ton), rubber gloves, hot water bags, football bladders, rubber tubing and bathing caps (£lO per ton) . Discarded bicycle tyres, gum boots, goloshers, rubber mats and old garden hose can also be used, but the price to be paid for them will be in the lower grades. Any garage in Whakatane or district will take delivery of ths rubber and it will be despatched in bulk of five or six ton lots. Remember, the call ife of national urgency. TANEATIUA railhead service THE concern felt at the possible elimination of the Tane-atua-Whakatane railhead transport service find* echo not merely in the town but throughout the whole Rangitaiki settlement. Upon this link has been built a service which has become the business mainstay of the district. As pointed out by speakers at the joint meeting last week, the removal of the transport service will leave the town wholly dependant upon sea transit which as all know is dependant upon weather and tidal conditions apart from taking ten times as long. The only other alternative is the individual delivery which to-day, apart from the cost, is practically an impossibility owing to petrol and tyre restrictions. Whakatane's progress and place as a distributing centre is dependant upon this ten mile link with a railway which should when first laid down, have included the town as a station instead of passing it by. This unusual position surely entitles the community of to-day to some special arrangement whereby a daily or a tri-weekly service with the rail can be maintained.