Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1947. Dear Sir,

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 26, 9 May 1947, Page 4

Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1947.

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 right to abridge, amend or withhold any letter or letters.

LIBERTY Sir, —On Anzac Day, every year, leading citizens in all parts of New Zealand make eloquent speeches about liberty, but after two wars, what liberties have the masses of people in God’s Own Country? One half of the people are working to keep the other half in fat Government jobs, drawing fat salaries at their expense. Every pound paid out to those people who are non-pro-ducers reduces our pound notes less and less in value. No wonder the farmers are short of labour, and no wonder the prices of commodities are continually rising. During the war, a National Service Department was created to manpower the workers. Controllers of this and Controllers of-that were created, all being paid anything up to twenty pounds per week at a conservative estimate. The war is well over, yet these officers are still there and likely to be, living on the fat of the land at our expense, until the people demand a reduction in taxes and Government expenditure. The liberty we enjoy, is the liberty to be exploited by' monopolies, and the right to be taxed to a frazzle. In this town of Whakatane there are scores of people wanting shelter of any kind, people living in tents; the Mayor of the town appealing for a humble bach for a man who was burnt out; others trying to get even a caravan to rent; many married people with young children likely to be turned out in the street at any time. These are the types of cases who come to me, asking me if I can construct anything to help them out. Yet, while the housing situation becomes daily more desperate, we have Building Controllers paid fat salaries, with an ever increasing staff of assistants, imposing more and more restrictions on building, while they tour, around the country, in swell cars, staying at the best of hotels at our expense. This is the state of affairs we call liberty, the liberty for some to sleep out in the paddocks, while restrictions of all kinds are imposed by these overpaid Government officials. Surely, Sir, the time is ripe when the J Force in Japan, amongst whom there are many married men, could be relieved of their long jo£, and be replaced by a battalion of parasites from New Zealand. I feel certain, we would not have half the shortages if some of this going-to-waste Government labour was used, say for unloading cement down South. Another batch of Government officials could be usefully employed in the manufacture of essential roofing materials or in the bush doing some bush felling. I sincerely hope that when, our local M.P. becomes Minister of Housing, he will immediately abolish all these Controllers and Controls, which are stifling the building industry, and thus leave people free to produce and free to exchange. It is tiie last straw that breaks the camel’s back and when one gets a long list of what one cannot do, after waiting a couple of months for a permit for an oversize match box, and a special note,

that one cannot even erect a gate, a trellis or a timber fence without a Controller’s sanction, it is time for the people to demand the immediate removal of all these Restrictions and the immediate employment of all those Government officials in an avenue of production, which will help to reduce the shortages.

When the housing situation is so desperate, the establishment of building Controllers in every large centre with a staff of about thirty assistants, to impose restrictions by the thousand is little short of lunacy. In every town in New Zealand, the ratepayers pay for building inspectors with their staffs, yet their jobs are practically rendered useless and supercedeal by huge staffs of Government controllers, who are well housed and well paid. It is time we demanded a little of that thing the “boys” fought two wars for viz., liberty. Yours etc., STAN EVANS, Builder.'

TRESPASSERS AND SPORTSMEN Sir, —rlf sport is anything, it cultivates a feeling of good fellowship one to another. The fields nature has provided for its promotion are far and many and are open to sportsmanship, in all walks of life. The New Zealand-born, many of whom have made a name for themselves all over the world; a name which had the backing of the pioneers of sport. They incalcated the ideal that manliness was the fruit of sportsmanship. They trespassed in action, with right and without fear; they had no feeling of venture; their sportsmanship and honour and they moved on no man’s right to protect liberty for all. They all saw good in each other’s acts and encouraged another’s pleasure where opportunity offered. Who sees the farming community (better known as “Cockles”) possessing these traits? The Bay of Plenty Beacon does not say so. The Cockie takes upon himself the right to prosecute trespassers in pursuit of game. He cannot see good in the other fellow’s enjoyment. The 1947 shooting season is here and many of our Cockies in their true light. See them from any angle. Half the lands in the district offer no right to shooters. Game has been provided from the funds subscribed from these self-same shooters who chose the lands of these ill-omened Cockies;

I venture to say there is not an area its size ixi the Dominion which has so many closed areas. The New Zealand Herald, a newspaper with the largest circulation in the Dominion, does not contain one advertisement by property owners against trespassers. It serves the largest farming areas in the Dominion. By their action can anyone picture those Cockies in the Whakatane district catering for a feeling of good fellowship? This mule-like attitude has its .answers with class distinction to steer their destiny. They cannot' or will not meet the world and its people as it comes. The pioneer thesis, “Jack is as good as his master,” died with the gigs and horses. Jack must not ride in the new .car nor look in the mirror in the back porch. - The atom age is upon us, and one shot will settle trespassing and all distinction till the powers that be create another Bay of Plenty. Yours etc., P. MORA.