“TO HIM THAT HATH..."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26631, 29 November 1947, Page 9

“TO HIM THAT HATH..."

Sir, —Dunedin has been called the dour city. A certain section of its citizens have always been active in maintaining that dubious reputation. Mr Burgess and his associates, in opposing Christmas cheer, are showing true to form. Christmas is supposed to be a time of good cheer. It has always been a time of bounty. Even serfs and slaves were remembered then. We read in “ The Norman Baron," a poem by Longfellow, that In the hall the serf and vassal Held that night their Christmas wassail. It is in that spirit that the Government has flung us a few extra scraps and sufficient butter to soften the stale and tasteless bread that we are forced to eat. For such charity we do not thank the Government. We were a free people who fought an enemy that, we were led to believe, threatened our freedom. We bore the burden of years of struggle to break that enemy—we did break it in the end And what have we gained? We have passed from war into a peace that fastens upon us the iron fetters of regulation, limitation, and privation. Liberty is dead —even charity is begrudged us. The time has come to demand the fruits of our production. We were born as free as the people of Canada —they are free today to eat what they will. That should also be our right. One wonders how far the meagre extra ration of meat and butter meaures against the vast amount of food consumed during the royal wedding season.—l am, etc., Right Front.

Sir, —Several letters have appeared on food for Britain. I notice it is only people living in the towns that have been consulted regarding the extra butter and sugar for Christmas. Certainly people with large families living in the cities do not need the extra, but how about the person who is living on his or her own? Has he or she got enough of these rationed goods? Have they got enougn to give a visitor a cup of tea? No; they give it and then go without themselves. Now, take people not living in town My wife and I are short of tea, butter, and sugar, and it is only through kind friends with whom we can exchange that we are able to have enough. We cannot pop over the road and have a fish dinner or a cup of morning tea out of someone's ration. No morning and afternoon teas for us. It is a great pity these people, including Mr Burgess, hadn’t got something better to do than to criticise.—l am, etc., A. Pedersen. Broad Bay.

Sir, —I would like to ask if there is not enough-devilment in strikes both in New Zealand and elsewhere. I do not know anything that would further , them more than stricter rationing. If the gentlemen advocating it were single units (as thousands are) without influence of any kind they would have another outlook. A leading farmer has briefly and truly said that the only rational way out is to produce more food.—l am, etc., Common Sense.