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IN THE PUBLIC MIND

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS :

GARDENS AND HOME GUARD

(To the Editor.)

During the .gardening season of : last year, when men in the Home Guard had to parade every day and all day every Sunday in the month, my husband asked for leave of absence for two Sundays to dig and plant his garden, stating it was essential. This was refused, and as it was getting very late in the season he ignored the refusal and dug his garden. Following this a notice was served to tell him that he had not filled in the maximum number of hours in the Home Guard fsr that month, and that future failure to do so would result in a summons and fine. My husband is a returned soldier of last war with a very badly wounded leg, is now well over military age, and was and still is working on essential work, putting in a nine-hour day and sometimes 10*-, including a nine-hour day on Saturday, leaving him only Sunday to do any gardening. Yet we are asked to grow more vegetables and di CT for victory, and how essential it is. He also volunteered from the first, and was messed about for two years, it taking all that time to be recognised as a necessity, and yet in the meantime one sees younger and more able-bodied men round about one's district getting out of it, and if approached running and joining the E.P.S. and putting in about three hours a week, if that. That is what one gets for TOEING THE LINE.

TOBACCO SUPPLIES

The points raised by Arthur Dickinson under the heading, "Tobacco Shortage," should receive the immediate attention by those in control. The men in the railway workshops, like those workers in the canning works,' are classed as essential workers in an essential industry and working long hours. This means that they, too, are unable to purchase their supplies of tobacco with anything like even measure with those holding the freedom of the city when supplies are released. Their canteen receives a miserable ration, and, whilst we do not- expect peacetime supplies, we do expect to be treated as essential workers doing a great job of work in the war effort should be treated—with a little more consideration. STICK.

In regard to tobacco rationing for working men, could not men have a card whereby each would get a fanshare? Prior to changing my residence I could get my pipe tobacco at my grocer's,-, where I was registered as a sugar customer. On registering at a new grocer's I was told no new tobacco customers could. be taken, as there were more orders than could be already supplied. I went to several tobacconists in the town, and, not being known, could not obtain my tobacco. I went back to the old grocer, who had served me so faithfully for so long before I shifted, and explained the position, and he explained that I must get my. tobacco where I took my ration books. Now lam left high and dry with no tobacco, and, being a working man, am unable to walk the town in search of same. Yet the ladies seem to be' able to get . all the' cigarettes they require. I have seen a dozen packets handed over to one woman at her grocer's. What good are my warm slippers without a puff of the old pipe? FAIR SHARE.

CARELESSNESS

I was very interested to read "J.B.'s" suggestion that the New Zealand branch of the B.M.A. should take up the ..case of the Taumarunui patient, who had a rubber tube left in after an operation in England. May I inform that what appears to him a case of gross neglect and carelessness can happen in New Zealand, as the writer knows only too well, having had this experience recently, with a tube eijgh£ inches long, left by a prominent- surgeon for over... twelve months. It took my whole savings to trace and have removed the foreign body, which left me on the scrap heap for life, owing to subsequent complications brought about by this _ unfortunate neglect. For "J.B.'s" information, it is up to the patient to prove without a doubt that it was neglect, and this would cost a great deal of money, as one would have to fight the B.M.A. Naturally, no help whatever would be given the patient by the members of that, body, and I for one could not face up to the cost of seeing about justice for the long years of pain and anxiety, together with loss of savings expended. ALSO RUN.

OVER STRENGTH

It is very interesting to read , Lieut.-General E. Puttick's comments on the over-strength of New Zealand officers, and it is quite obvious that '• this might happen, and also that experienced men overseas should have preference for commissions , over our untried officers, but there is : one aspect which has not been considered by the military authorities, and savours of rank injustice. Every one of us who have gone , through our course of training have been put to the expense, over and above any allowance made, or anything between £40 and £60 for uniforms, equipment, etc., and if, as is commonly stated, coal miners can be paid a bonus of £2 a week out of our war expenditure account, surely it is not asking too much for our Government to reimburse us for our outlay, as even if we are raised to °HF, mm issioned rank overseas, we will be again put to the expense of e P^ cl pS our officer's equipment left behind in New Zealand. ONE OF THEM.

A MEAN THEFT

. May I warn mothers against leaving their push chairs unattended. My daughter, a working mother, had . 1 chair stolen on Monday last. She took the child with her when she went to a tearoom, and was only half an hour away. When she returned, the push chair was gone. My daughter inserted an advertisement, appealing to the person to return it, but so far no one has brought it back. It is hard on a young working mother, out to do her best to help win the war, by working and leaving her baby all day, without the worry of having no push chair for her child, who is too young to walk far.

WORKING MOTHER.

MUFTI ALLOWANCE

The increase in mufti allowance to ex-servicemen from overseas will be appreciated. Our politicians, however have created one more anomaly to add to the list. It must be obvious to all that cost of reclothing men exHome Defence, with similar service to those returned from overseas, must be identical. Why, then, this i fu l ' en^l - a^lon * The allowance for clothing is for a specific purpose, not tor recognition of the type of service rendered, a fact which appears to be overlooked. EACH FOR ALL.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19430618.2.27

Bibliographic details

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 143, 18 June 1943, Page 2

Word Count
1,146

IN THE PUBLIC MIND Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 143, 18 June 1943, Page 2

IN THE PUBLIC MIND Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 143, 18 June 1943, Page 2

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