OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 March 1942, Page 4

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

CYCLES WITHOUT LIGHTS (To the Editor.) Sir—l understand that officials of the Traffic Department were again on the warpath on Friday night taking the names of cyclists unfortunate enough to be caught riding without lights. Among those apprehended were a number of girls, some of whom had probably been on their feet in stores all day from 8.30 a.m. until closing time at 9 p.m., and were eager to get home for a rest. One girl who was caught on Friday night had bought three lamps in the past three months, and had them all stolen. Several other girls were in the same position. I myself had a lamp stolen a month ago from practically in front of our local police station. I happen to have a spare lamp, but am faced with the difficulty of obtaining fresh batteries. Are such innocent victims to be penalised for having their lamps stolen? Why do not the inspectors concentrate their attention on the cycle accessory thieves, instead of picking out some place in which to trap girls, who in nearly every case have had their lamps stolen? In these dark days, when our very existence is at stake, I think the inspectors might be more usefully employed than in their present occupation. They certainly let one occasion slip during the past few weeks, one which might have helped our war effort. Did they ever think of going into the question of why there have been so many private cars on the roads in the Wairarapa these last few Sundays? The Oil Fuel Controller has been very strict lately with licences for petrol, and it might appear that quite a lot of Sunday driving is being done with essential petrol. Are the traffic inspectors doing their job properly or following the line of least resistance and tackling cyclists? I hope that the fines and costs that will be imposed on these girls do not mean that their brothers and sweethearts overseas will have to miss a parcel. There is a possibility that in a few weeks these same inspectors will be out catching these same girls for riding at night with lamps in a blackout. I hope that our worthy Mayor, or one or two of our live councillors, will take this matter up, and, as circumstances are at present, try to have this by-law rescinded for the duration of the war. —Yours, etc., NOT CAUGHT YET. Masterton, March 4.