22 OCTOBER 1948, Page 18

DOCTORS' CARS sut,--I wonder how on aarth a body of

men and women as large as the medical profession could agree to the financial terms laid down under the National Service Health Act. Since these hide-bound rules and terms of service were fixed, prices have gone up by many leaps and bounds. Are doctors who depead upon their income from their work to pay for cars to expect enough from the mileage allowance to pay for a new car every 50,000 miles or every four years—that is, about £250 a year over and above running .expenses? A suitable new car for a hard-working country doctor costs in the region of £1,000 nowadays, if it is to be expected to run for four years over hard country and keep its reliability. If a country doctor has not faith in his car he is miserable, and goes through bitter and frustrated times and experiences. The public suffers also. Why export practically 41 hard-working cars? And why tax those who need them to the utmost when the cars are an absolute necessity?—

Yours truly, F. 0. TAYLOR.

Kirkhill, Coldingham, Berwickshire.