What Our Readers Are Thinking

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 38, 16 April 1948, Page 4

What Our Readers Are Thinking

PLEASURE BEFORE BUSINESS?

Sir, —Recently you recorded the fact that representatives of the local Hospital Board were refused a license for petrol to enable them to attend a meeting of Board officials in Hamilton. I am also aware that a gentleman who takes a prominent part in the rehabilitation of ex-, servicemen of this district was similiarly refused a license for petrol to enable him to attend aimeeting in Hamilton with high officials of the Rehabilitation Department. Yet we have the spectale of two sight-seeing buses, complete with hostesses and all other trimmings, visiting the town within the past week in the course of a grand tour of the Island. Can the Oil Fuel Controller tell us what the general policy is, or whether it is just a case of pleasure before legitimate business. In these two instances the business concerned the welfare of a very large number of people. Is the Chamber of Commerce satisfied that it is a “fair go?” Yours etc., “INTERESTED.”

SHOOTING AND CENTIPEDES

Sir, —Your correspondent v “Also Handicapped” in his letter 9/4/48 offers the Rangitaiki Defence Rifle Club some advice as regards handicapping and quotes the N.R.A. system! I would like to advise him that we have that document 'from N.R.A. on our file. A Defence Rifle Club is not bound to become affiliated with the N.R.A. Many clubs do not support it financially. Like a gun club, a Rifle Club is free to have its own system of handicapping. The Rangitaiki Club tried a similar system to the N.R.A. 20 years ago and a few men won all the trophies which resulted in most of the young members leaving the club. Young shots should be encouraged. At the Rangitaiki Club’s last annual general meeting the N.R.A. system was thoroughly gone into. It was decided to adopt the system of handicapping which had proved successful in previous years. Your correspondent “Also Handicapped” gives himself away when he describes the head of a Defence Rifle Club as “captain.” I - would like to inform him that the man in command of a Defence Rifle Club is called the President. So after all he does not know much.

In regard to centipedes he can have that all on his own. I do not profess to know anything about them; they are creepy things so unlike him I will sign my name to this letter. Yours etc., WILLIAM MOORE, Hon. Sec., Rangitaiki Defence Rifle Club.

OHOPE PROGRESS

Sir, —May I through your columns thank Mr Cutler for his reply to my letter concerning the activities of the Ohope Progress League. Without indulging in side issues, I would like to have Mr Cutler’s views on the following three questions: First: Does Mr Cutler consider that it is in the best interests of the League to have such negative reports published as but 24 of the 400 (or 350 for that matter) residents attended the annual meeting, or that an important matter was deferred on account of lack of support? Second: If there were good reasons why residents did not attend and if the chairman’s’annual report gave a full insight 1 into the activities of the League, would it not have been in the best interests of the League to publish them? Third: If the League were to adopt a positive attitude in its public reports would it not tend to awaken interest in your readers (prospective members) and this interest in

the long run increase the prospects of a greater measure of achievement in the aims and objects of the League? Nature has provided the Whakatane district with one of the best beaches in the Dominion in Ohope. Ask any visitor his opinion of Ohope and you invariably get something like this, “Its a wonderful beach, but—” and then follows a series of “buts” depending upon the interests and viewpoints of the individual. The removal of these “buts” is the interest of the whole district and the League in particular could become the fulcrum around which their removal could revolve. Yours etc., OVERHAUL. It is only fair to point out to “Overhaul” that neither Mr Cutler nor any other member of the League nor the public has any authority over what is published in this newspaper. That is the sole, prerogative of the Editor and the proprietors. But anyone has the right to use this column to answer any criticism of any public body with which he is associated and to air any opinion he considers of public interest—subject always to the letter’s acceptance as being fit for publication.—Editor.

WHITHER BOUND HUMANITY

Sir, —Your , correspondent, Layman’s, letter opens a long trail for thought. Where we are is troubling far more than where we’re going. Politicians, prelates, industrialists, strategists the world over have a lot to say, but the financiers have certainly done something to justify their own existence and make the existence of the majority more and more intolerable.

A British sovereign was once worth a pound the world over, and would buy the necessities of life at 200 per cenl;. less than present prices. Higher wages is the financier’s reply. But prices always rose above the wage level. Was the farm hand at 15s and found making a profit? Or his employer a millionaire? Or was the relief worker with 12/6 to keep a’ home going? . - Britain starved her industrial population and invested millions in Krupps. British and American munition mergers were behind Hitler and Mussolini and Japan until they realised they had been tricked. Then came the call for the folks they had starved to make war munitions to fight the demons their cupidity had created. •

Britain was bled white and the blood money accumulated in the U.S.A. coffers of the Cosmopolitan warmongers who, for the.- second time have, through the medium of their servile (press, undermined the will, for world peace and construction and propagated the will for war and destruction. , T.o heal the wounds of war, dollars were tight. But for another and • more terrible Hell on earth millions are being voted at the present time. Politicians in every country are being pressed to vote for armaments, scrap the old and buy more up-to-date and deadlier weapons to double the profits of Hell-begotten descendants of Cain. Food and everything that would make life tolerable, has been brought up and conserved to be releasedwhen war is declared, to the power of the Almighty dollar • ' and the prestige of the men who supplied the powers with too much and will certainly ba.ck the devil of selfishness and all his works. Peace talk with such men in charge of the World’s finances is wasted breath. Yours etc., • HARRY SERGANT. What’s this about the “servile press,” Mr Sergant? Surely you can’t mean the Beacon! —Editor.