RECENT COURT CASE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 82, 18 June 1943, Page 4

RECENT COURT CASE

Sir, —I am a Dalmatian ami so am also a Slav. The Russians are Slavs too ami we are not ashamed.. People only expect us to be Slavs—but you are British by birth. That means* that you give everybody British fair play twice lor yourself and for your profession. The manner iri which. , you write about me is hardly. ; to understand. You give judgment on me. after the judge was satisfied. I know you are not picking on me especially and therefore 1 -will expect to see you crucify all the of our citizens, for their mistakes. I have been a citizen of Te Teko and Whnkatane for 17 years and have given everybody a fair deal, lii , I Avant. to say anything about anybody 1 meet them face to face. That goes for you brave "Wake Uμ Whakatanc" too. Your military re.- * cord in the last and in this war must be , " outstanding for you to talk about me like that. Many of my friends returned from this war * wouldn't stoop to. speak of any other man's life the way you have. If "Wake Up Whakatane" will meet me outside my premises I wi.l promise to point out twelve Whakatane people .still using their cars as, before the war—twelve men younger than me, who have, done exactly as much training as I have and 1 will also give him a cheque J for £10 for the Hospital, and £10 for the Returned Soldiers' Association. Bring him along, yourself Mr Editor 1 would like to meet you both. Yours etc.,. J. PLAMUS. (If our correspondent will're-read our leading article, he will see that the criticism is levelled not at him

individually hut at the penalty meted out by the court for his offence, 'which we still consider completely disproportionate, and out of all keeping with, other penalties elsewhere for far less blatant gard of the law. As Britishers we still enjoy freedom of expression and. therefore, have no fear in our open criticism, of. even court judgments and in spite of what our cqr-» resj)ondent says, have no licsitajittn in voicing our views when findings appear to be unfair. Ed.)

Sir, —I too, also was interestell to read in a recent issue of the Beacon the report of a case brought against a local naturalised Dalmatian for failing to register. We have had a few men in this district fined £15 and thereabouts for similar offences. Why the disparity? With regard to his activities in consuming, benzine and tyres he can toe seen regularly travelling to a favourite rendezvous every Tuesday, with the result that manj r a worker has gone home very sorry. 1 mention these facts because I ■ think that if his activities are curtailed many busi, jicss men in this town will lwive some hope of getting their accomits squared. Yours etc., JUST, JUST.