Correspondence Mr. Skoglund and The Ploughshare

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 80, 5 April 1938, Page 8

Correspondence

Mr. Skoglund and The Ploughshare

(To the Editor.) Sir, —When 'in Palmerston North on Wednesday last, Mr. Skoglund, chairman of the Transport Authority, is re ported to have said: “In the rural areas settlers must have the service they require. 77 He had heard of one case of » license-holder being asked to take a I ploughshare into town to have it ro- | paired, but the man had refhscd “be[cause he did not have a license for [that." That was ridiculous. No one I would prosecute a man for a thing like | that. It was a necessity that the I country people should receive service, j Now no one will deny that Mr. Skogj lund is an able man and well qualified for the position he holds, but I mu3t disagree with him on the point mentioned. We are so bound with rules and [laws and regulations nowadays that our I commonsense is not permitted to function. This license-holder, like other drivers, was probably in fear of making [ a false step and of placing his license in jeopardy. If he had acted otherwise, the Government officials would, quite rightly, have pounced on him like a i ton of bricks.

This is a typical example of what happens if a country is overgoverned as New Zealand has been for some years past. I am confident that Mr. Skoglund fully appreciates the absurd lengths to which we are being ruled and regulated in this country, but perhaps it is a little awkward for him when matters of this nature arise. Mr. Skoglund, however, is apparently earnest iri his desire to let the community know that he will use a little commonsense if the regulations do not definitely prohibit him from so doing. But there are many whose duty it is to admnister the law, and they may not all be like Mr. Skoglund. But where is it all going to lead us to 7—l am, etc., SCHUSCHNIGG.