JOTTINGS FROM WANGANUI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 872, 19 July 1910, Page 9

JOTTINGS FROM WANGANUI.

HARBOUR REPRESENTATION. EFFECT OF THE NEW BILL. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Wanganui, July 18. A long-stantling grievance in connection with the admission of infants to the District High School is about to be revived, it being reported that a number of parents residing near the school are about to take legaL proceedings to ascertain whether the Education Hoard is acting legally in refusing infants admission. A great extension of land settlement, inland of Wanganui, s-hould. be reported during the ensuing twelve months, set-' tiers being actively engaged in getting new holdings into shajje for occupation. An informant, whose business takes him frequently l through the inland districts, states that he'cannot remember before so great an area of land being cleared on both sides of the river, and up the Main Trunk line as is. the case at present. A well-known identity passed away yesterday in the person of. Mr. Harry Robertson, for many years senior guard to the Castlecliif Railway Company. _ Deceased was in poor' health for soin« months past. The constitution of tho Wanganui Har,bour Board uuder tho Harbours Amendment Bill, now before the House,, was subject to adverse comment at tho Chamber of Commerce meeting this morning. The subject wa3 introduced by Mr. J. B. Murray (chairman), who drew attention to the fact that, at present, the constitution of the local board- was as follows:— Four members elected by the borough, with the Mayor ex officio; two representatives'each for Waitotara and Wanganui counties (one elected and the other chairman ex officio); and a Government nominee (the Collector of Customs). Under the amended Bill the representation would be four members elected by tho borough, two each by the, electors of Waitotara and Wanganui counties, and two nominated by the Government. It would thus Ijc seen, said Mr. Murray, that the Wanganui borough was losing a representative, and the borough of Wanganui East and the town district of Gonville were unrepresented. Ho thought it unfair that the privileges of the people should be curtailed in what was supposed to bo a democratic measure, while tho powor of tho Government was increased. Mr. Murray further pointed out that, under the present Act, tho voting in the counties was under the property .qualification. Some electors exercised three votes, and, if they held property in the borough or in another county, could also vote there. In the new Bill, the "one-man-one-vote" principle was introduced, and electors could only vote in ono district. .After discussion, Messrs. T. B. Williams, J. B. Murray, and Lloyd Jones wero deputed a committee to draw Tip objections to the new BUI, and communicate with tho membor for the district with a view to inoreasing tho representation of the borough and suburbs in tho constitution of future harbour boards.