SOLDIERS COMPLAIN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 119, 13 February 1941, Page 8

SOLDIERS COMPLAIN

Petrol For Tote Staff But Not For Them

A UTHOR IT Y’S ATTITUDE (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. February 12. Considerable indignation was expressed by soldiers in camp at L’apakura when it was learned that though petrol could not be obtained for leave buses last weekend some members of the Auckland totalizator staff travelled to and from the race meeting at Rotorua by bus. •The decision that no petrol would be made available for the usual buses taking leave men to their homes in different parts of lite province was first made public last Friday. The cooperation of the Army authorities and the Y.M.C.A. had secured a petrol licence for men whose homes were in distant parts of the province, enabling them to visit their relatives for weekend leave. Specially-arranged buses left Papakura on Saturday morning for places such as Whangarei, Wbakatane, Tauranga, and Rotorua, aud brought the men back to camp. The system was adopted because of the unsuitability of train times. When first asked to comment on the refusal of a licence for the soldiers the No. 1 Transport Licensing Authority, Mr. E. J. Phelan, refused to comment. Later be said the answer to the whole question lay in Mr. Coates’s review of war conditions.

“We have just got to win the war,” Mr. Phelan said. “Regarding leave,we feel that everyone has got to make some sacrifice. Applications for licences for men on final leave were dealt with sympathetically, but with ordinary leave it was not felt that the position was urgent enough to warrant the granting of a licence.” In the absence of Mr. Phelan, who is at preesnt holding sittings of the No. 1 Authority in the Bay of Plenty district, the officer in charge at Auckland. Mr. R. 11. Nicholls, said today that the licence for the totalizator staff would come under contract licence conditions. Contract licences were held by certain bus companies for long trips on which bodies such as bauds and sports teams embarked. When sued a contract trip was for more than 30 miles the itinerary chosen had to be approved by the authority before the licence could be used.

In the past it has been customary for totalizator staffs at small country meetings to leave Auckland early on race days in order to arrive at the course before the meeting begins. In most cases the advance party travels by bus, the others following by train if a basis not available. The staff also does not leave the course till after the general public aud in some situations has either to rely on buses or stay overnight.