31 DECEMBER 1965, Page 11

SIR,—Quite predictably, the imposition of extreme punitive sanctions against Rhodesia

has merely hardened the resolution of Rhodesians, including non- RE supporters, to withstand Mr. Wilson at any cost. The pseudo-legal blocking of Rhodesian overseas bank reserves, and the virtual hi-jacking of the 'Saberg' with its cargo of our oil, paid for out of our pockets, are widely construed as low blows, and have gained for our premier, Mr. Smith, a great many new supporters.

Ear harder to endure than the economic straits tli it face us. would be the knowledge that our fate lay in the hands of a vacillating and unpredictable British premier, who would allow himself to be coerced into rash decisions in deference to utterly vacuous and irresponsible clamour from the side- lines. This has been adequately demonstrated in the past weeks, and has been an eye-opener to many of us.

There is nothing that can be called a crisis in Rhodesia that has not been of Messrs. Wilson and Kaunda's own making. For 99.99 per cent of the ordinary citizens of both races it his been 'business as usual' from the very first, and ought to have been allowed to remain so. The hoking-up of a pscudo- crisis by these gentlemen could have drastic reper- cussions, and with UN 'aid,' could plunge the southern continent into a major-scale Congo-type blood bath, all in the interests of Peace in Africa, of course.