HOW SHALL WE SPEND XMAS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 3, 11 September 1942, Page 4

HOW SHALL WE SPEND XMAS

THE fourth war Christmas is now less than four months distant and we are faced with the prospect of having to put up with greater restrictions than ever before during a festive season. The war has come closer to our shores and the usual features of the season of smiles and happiness will be marred by the emergency enactments which have decreed that shopping for necessities shall be only possible by coupon, that travelling shall be practically out of the question and that all essential industries shall maintain full-time production. It has occurred to us therefore that Christmas 1942, in view of the growing gravity of the war in the Pacific and the importance, of avoiding any dislocation of our national life, shall be limited to but the two days holiday as far as ad.ults are concerned and the New Year break likewise. The usual 'dead week' which follows Christmas Eve, and terminates after the New Year, would then be obviated and business routine and production maintained on an even keel. It is far too serious to toy with the position now that war has entered the Pacific and, our country must adopt the role of an active supply base for its conduct. The observance of the usual ten days holiday would have a deadening and dangerous effect,, detracting from our alertness, our production and our war effort and would mark our emulation of Nero's behaviour as he viewed his burning capital. Perhaps this question might be with advantage taken up by the Awake New Zealand Society of which Whakatane has a branch, and given Dominion-wide publicity in order to gather some consensus of opinion on the subject. There should be no reason why the children should not enjoy their usual six week's holiday, but the adults in view of a restricted, holiday in any case should, we feel, be prepared to stand by their jobs on account of the very real state of emergency now prevailing.