Letters to the Editor The Patriotic Appeal

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1942, Page 4

Letters to the Editor The Patriotic Appeal

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — In your issue of AuRust 21 you quoteci Mr. Claphain, Mayor of Hawera, as sayins, "The money was i'or coml'orts. and not for cquipment. and no one should refuse lo sive, sa.ving it was tlie (lovernnipnt's task." The point is this. Are these coml'orts essential, If they are not, tlien people would do better to put their money into national savinRs. II', however, they are essential, tlien most decidedlv it is the dutv of the wliole country, per medium of the Government, to pay the cost. Pcrsonnlly, I lielieve it would be a greater comfort to our fifilitlng troops to know that llu'y have aniple equipment, animunitiqn, tanks and aeroplaties made availabte for lliem to take up the offensivr. As a hunibie Home Guardsman, nolhinR would give me greater comfort than to be issued with an efticient rifle and sufllcient ammunilion to enahie me to l)ecome n fair marksnian. No! The Army should, if nrcessary, he issued with these romforts by Ihe authorities, and the counlry as a wliole should pay for it, l>y direet tasation if neeessary. For my part I would welcome such a step, and am perfectly willing lo pay anotlier Gd in the £t if need be. Asking Ihe people to subscribe will not achieve Ihe result. The Germans, who liuve been winninn consistently up till now, don't ask — they «et. Our war eft'ort must Ro beyond the Jiumiliating stage of having to shake money hoxes before people's faces. A dircct tax will lind out everybody, and is the 1'nirest way. — I am. clc.. BERT KLNG. Tataraimaka, August 24.