BROKEN BOTTLES AND TYRES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 5, 8 January 1944, Page 4

BROKEN BOTTLES AND TYRES

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

TRAINED RIFLEMEN

Forty Wellington City Corporation buses have had to have tyres repaired because of damage caused by broken bottles. From this it is not difficult to imagine the extent to which tyres on other vehicles have suffered from the same cause. Some time ago complaints were made that broken bottles were being left on city streets, but apparently appeals for greater care and consideration have not met with the response that might have been expected. When bottles are in short supply it is bad enough to destroy them wantonly, but it is much worse when this leads to serious damage to tyres which are even scarcer and which the needs of the war demand should be conserved. Tyres used on council buses cost £35, so that, apart from the conservation aspect, replacement is an expensive business. The throwing of bottles on to city streets is difficult to check; the only real remedy is for the public to realise that one of the first rules of good citizenship is to show consideration for others. Such consideration becomes all the more desirable at a time when damage of the kind caused by broken bottles hampers the country's war effort. Thoughtlessness on the part of even a few individuals can result in a lot of damage and expense. Using a thing of value to destroy something of greater value is worse than bad economy. It is just mad vandalism.

MAILS FOR TROOPS Sir, —Thousands of relatives of the men of the Second New Zealand Division will be grateful to Brigadier Inglis for his reference, in an interview at Timaru, to the vexed question of the extremely poor mail service between New Zealand and the Middle East Division. We hope we shall hear more from the brigadier on this subject. Some correspondence took place in October, 1943, in this connection, but, after a very poor explanation by the Postmaster-General, which appeared in your issue of October 6, 1943, the matter was allowed to drop, and no improvement in the service resulted. Now for some examples of what happens with the mail to these troops:—My son, a fledgeling soldier, away from home for the first time, is with the Division in Italy. (1) An airgraph letter posted here on September 29 reached him on November 30, one day under nine weeks; (2) a cablegram forwarded on October 11 reached him on November 30, one day over seven weeks; (3) our letters written in August had not reached him by November 30, nearly four months; (4) we send parcels fortnightly. The last parcel received by him up to November 30 had arrived on August 28. A parcel posted on July 9 was thus nearly five months on the way and had not reached him up to November 30. I think I have given you sufficient examples to show that the soldiers and their relatives are not having good mail service.—l am. etc., PARENT.

WAR DAMAGE INSURANCE

Sir, —Soon after Japan attacked the Allied nations in December, 1941, we in New Zealand were advised by our Government'to take out war damage insurance policies on our properties at the rate of 5s per. £100. Up to March, 1942, this was voluntary, but from that date it became compulsory. It is now announced that from March, 1944, the rate is to be reduced to Is per £100. But those prudent people who took the advice of the Government and insured their properties voluntarily before March, 1942, when they go to renew their policies now learn that they are required to pay the full rate of 5s per £100 for the whole of the current year, even though from March next the rate is to be reduced to Is, insurance against fire being refused unless the full amount of the war damage insurance for the whole year is paid. Surely this is a case in which the prudent provident man is penalised, since those whose properties were insured under compulsion are able to take advantage of the reduced rate. —I am, etc., FAIR PLAY FOR ALL.

WATER FOR GARDENS

Sir, —To me, like a lot of other home gardeners, the question of watering the vegetables is proving a problem now the use of a hose is prohibited. If one were fit and well, the carrying of water in a bucket would not prove a great hardship, but to an invalid it is not so easy. Last year I visited a town in Hawke's Bay, and the arrangements made by the council there seemed to me to be very satisfactory. The town was divided into four sections, say, north, south, east, and west, and people were allowed to use their hoses in the following manner: North was granted Monday evening from 6.30 to 7.30; south, Tuesday; east, Wednesday; and west, Thursday. Then north would start again on Friday and the others follow in the same order. Thus every householder would be assured of one hour's hosing every four days. Perhaps our City Councillors could arrange something like this for the benefit of the home gardeners.—l am, etc., AFBEE,

Sir, —In "The Post" of January 6 there appears an article headed "Back to Butts. Value in Defence," which has embodied a motion by the Waver-ley-Waitotara Rifle Club for the encouragement of trained riflemen for national defence. On May 10, 1940, there appeared in "The Post" a letter by "P.C.F.R.," a member of the Petone Defence Rifle Club, who advocated at that early stage the use to which trained riflemen could be put in a war emergency. This letter entitled "New Zealand's Guerrillas" is really worth reprinting, now that we can look back and see how far-seeing the author was in his assertions. We can also see that general apathy to national preparedness did not disappear until Japan started on the march. Early in the war members and rifle clubs offered their services in any suitable capacity. My experience as a member of the Petone Rifle Club was that the Government assistance to rifle shooting was greatly appreciated, and there was the greatest co-operation from those officers and men of the Permanent Staff whose duties were to assist the rifle clubs. Rifleman D. Roots, of Patea, has the support of all those interested in rifle shooting when he advocates that the National Rifle Association should formulate a policy to create greater interest. I would suggest more frequent yisits between New Zealand representative rifle teams and countries overseas such as to our near neighbour, Australia, every two years, and to Bisley, England, every three years. Rifle shooting does not breed militarism; it is one of the finest sports for team work, unselfishness, and for clean competition. Many of that great brotherhood of riflemen have fallen in this war, but their spirit calls to all who remain to "Carry on."—l am, etc., FINE SIGHT.