Dear Sir,

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 06, Issue 95, 3 August 1943, 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 of the writer must be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the right to abridge* amend or withhold any letter or letters. 4 C.O.'s AT WAIMANA VSir,, —Your correspondent "No Defeat" should have been more sure of facts, before rushing into print on the. subject of C.O.'s on farms in Whalcatane County. The true position is that a batch of good/conduct. men have* been detailed fit> build cowsheds, fence drain and generally repair a property in the Waimana district, which will ultimately be balloted for returned .soldier settlements. When this 1 work has been completed, these detainees will be trucked back to the detention camp from which they came, having received. 110 other payment than 1/3 per day, per man.' These chaps are taking the punishment prescribed by law, for holding their vi'ews and as they have no "comcbadi" it seems only fair to me. that someone: should take up the cudgels on their behalf. I am a 1914-1S man and would have been there this time but for war disability, yet I have no hesitation in saying that a con-r scicntious objector who is willing to face up to gaol, adverse public opinion and detention for the duration, for his religious views, is "a better man than I am, Gunga Din.' Yours etc., 5/861. THE CAPITALISED STATE Sir,—The private administration of capital has had a credit as: well as a debit side to its account. Without private enterprise backed by capital scientific progress, and the possibilities of betterment based on it, would never have achieved the rapid development of the past hundred years; but the control of capital has become, the degraded ganda of the "Black Ants" to- mislead public opinion. The capitalistic system, "as we know it," has serv- ' ed its purpose, and. may be replaced with advantage. The danger which at the moment, threatens individual liberty is the servile state; in attacking capitalism, collective socialism has failed to recognise that the real enemy is the. will to power; the positive compliment to servil-. ity, and that the nationalisation to all the means of livelihood, without the provision of. much more effective safeguards than have so far been publicly evolved leaves the individual without any appeal. This process is quite clearly a stage in. the transition from decentralisation to centralised power. Are we going to continue to be the heavy millstone to party politicians who are destroying the freedom of this coun-: try whilst under the dictation of thosei who acknowledge neither breed or nation. Yours etc., W. BRADSHAW.