Pity the Petroleum Officer
SIR,—Buying your paper to renew an "old acquaintance," a few days ago, I confess I was greatly shocked, on turning to your competition page, to find that Regional Petroleum Officers had been made the subject for such a competition. These officials, who had to carry out the terms of the Motor Fuel Rationing Order, with its wide and varied legalities, and the interpretations thereof, with- an approximate number of applicants nearing the million mark, I think you will agree, had no mediocre task. While in the main the R.P.O. was responsible for its administration, it follows that 'he could not be held responsible for the errors of one or two of his staff. To suggest, as your conrtpetitors did, that he should become a " rural, postman in Wales" or a "Himalayan porter " is in my opinion devoid of any.humour, and is made in the vein of pure vindictiveness.
To administer such a rationing system—mostly with a temporary staff withdut experience of any sort of clerical work—during the war
and since was no -sinecure. Moreover, many of the general public, who were private or commercial users, were ignorant of governing factors of fuel-rationing ; and therefore likely to become irritated, or disgruntled at the curtailment of allocations. Instead of having a sly poke at Regional Officers, as your competitors did, it would have been better if they had appreciated that the administration was carried out qty " temporary Civil Servants" with fairness, so far as lay in their power, and courage. Finally, not much British sportsmanship can be attributed to such competitors, who know that, as Civil Servants, R.P.O.s " cannot hit back." R.P.O.s. indeed are aware of dissatisfac- tion in members of the motoring public in consequence of an unpopular Rationing Order ; but they have shouldered responsibility without complaint. I trust that the Spectator will improve on matters of this sort in future competitions.-1 am, Sir, sincerely yours,
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