Dear Sir

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 96, 26 August 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 light to abridge, amend or withhold any letter or letters.

CARE OF CIVILIANS

Sir, —I think you have touched upon a very important subject in your recent leading article dealing with the question of civilian evacuation in the event of an emergency. While we. have all been compelled to join up with the Home Guard and fulfil a certain amount of training hours each month we are apt to forget what, is probably the most important thing of all, as far as we, individually are concerned. That is of course, the care of our women and children should ever the evil day ever befall this l ; and.. Well sir, I for one belong to" that category of men who feel that" we have a right to know that our families are being cared for, if we are expected to answer blindly some call, to a distant battle station, and I don't think I am unreasonable in expecting it.. This is about the leasti the Government should be prepared t<S undertake and if the E.iP.S. is incapable. of handling the matter owing to its shortage of members then I think there should be a definite alternative, that would guarantee that as far as humanly possible everything will be done to look after the welfare of our families in our absence. Yours etc., HUMAN NATURE.

OVER THE AIR

Sir, —Knowing that the House was sitting in secret session last week 20/8/42 I was agreeably surprised to plug in on supplementary estimates. The subject of discussion, was earthquake insurance. Suffice to say the point raised was that Insurance Company's were taking risks on earthquake damage which did no't cover fire under the same clause. There was a lively debate from both sides of the House. Finally when the Minister of Railways rose to speak against those insurance companies, he said i't was a racket and it was. a case of getting something for nothing. Well he must have known some* thing; something of Social Credit. This fetched the Leader of .ths Opposition to his feet with a strong protest that the Hon. Minister had launched an unfair attack on the integrity of Insurance Companies. It was suggested that there should lie a National Insurance Fund for earthquake damage. Still there is no-denying the fact that under the present orthodox monetary -system some Insurance Companies are doing a good spot of work. Nevertheless it should be the job of the State to alleviate distress and accept, the full" responsibility, for National disaster. Under the heading of Lands„ for Reparation a grant of £100,000 was granted and (luring the last session a further grant of £15,000, making a total of £115,000'. This sounds well on paper but to use a Parliamentary expression "stands fast." According to members there has: been no preliminary aaiion taken yet. Yours, etc., W. BRADSHAW.