The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1926. THE FIGHT FOR EDEN.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1926. THE FIGHT FOR EDEN.

Tiik political sea in New Zealand has been set calm .since the day of tliu general election. Now there is a ripple on the ocean due to the hrew'.e raised by the fight for Eden. The result of the election, however it may go, carries in its train no possible cause for disaster to the Dominion as a whole. .Mr Coates and his party are so well installed in office that a vote or two more, or less would mean nothing to the Government. There is just the suggestion that the prestige or rather the vanity of the party might bo tinged were the seat to be lost. What is perhaps the most interesting phase of the contest is the rift in the Reform party. There is a lady in the case, which, seeing that the seat for Eden, is in question, is in keeping with history since the days of Adam. The lady has a will and mind of her own, and was not to he “put upon” by a Reform organiser or anyone else. -Miss Melville is fighting a plucky battle in the circumstances, and one or two Reform members recognising her worth to the party in the past, have had the courage to rally to her support. Rut the Ministry is against her on this occasion and the Prime Minister is now in the electorate to help Sir James Gun.son carry the day. .So far there does not appear to liavo been a great deal of politics talked. Perhaps with Mr Coates on the platform lie will i>egin to unfold his policy and tell us what lie is going to get done this session. Ever since November last, the details of politics have .gone by the hoard. The Ministry were in a safe position and political programmes dropped out of mind. Hut Mr Coates must needs tell tiie Edenites just why ho wants Sir James Gun,son returned. Some reasonable claim must be put forward for more support still. The Labour Leader lias been pleading for the Labor candidate in the hope that the Opposition force may he swelled, hut theie is little of political creed in tho pies. With such an absence of politics in the fray, we may infer that the choice is to be one of personalities. Racked by the popular Mr Coates. Sir James Gunsou should have first leg in, and it will not he surprising if ho maintains the advantage. The lady in tiie case is likely to pass into outer political darkness, shut out from Eden to await the next general election lie fore there will be another opportunity of attaining tho political paradise the lady might so greatly adorn,

Thk question of dealing”with the hood waters in the back portion of the town is of importance to the ratepayers affected by the recurring floods, and to the Council for the expense incurred time after time in repairing streets and footpaths. There is a considerable' watershed or catchment area to be dealt with in heavy rainfall, and al- - though the drainage by way of Hall and Sale - Streets have been improved greatly of late years, the trouble in the vicinity of Bealey St. is still very marked. Certainly the lately-construc-ted drains are well fed from the hack area, and in flood time carry their full capacity, hut that is not adequate for the necessities of the ease. At the same time Livingstone Street drain is being overcharged with flood water and the flat in the vicinity of Stafford Street is inundated in flood time. There are thus two ixiints to take into serious consideration. Livingstone Street drain is often surcharged with overflow water from the 11 au ITau hill locality, and this surplus might he dealt with by a direct drain to the river along the oast town boundary. Livingstone Street drain itself is of considerable capacity, lnit is out ol repair in places, and its hanks require raising to prevent the overflow on to the low flat where the water rises in flood. An escapement for that wafer is necessary also, and the natural water course already in existence requires clearing to its outfall into liolleston Street drain. That action would minimise the present difficulty very greatly. The Healey Street proposition is more difficult because the three main drains already in position occupy the most direct means for ready drainage. Some relief might lit' afforded by a second drain of larger dimensions along the opposite sides of the street in Henley Street to the existing drain. The relief drain could he carried, as far as Hampden Street and then by the water course to junction with the. Fitzherbert Street drain. But the, drain to meet all likely demands must he substantially larger than any yet put in. ‘Whatever course is adopted means considerable expense, hut the outlay is necessary to remove a- condition of affairs which causes loss ami depreciates property. As there is talk of a.n engineer bring ealied in to look into the water supplv matters, it would he well to consult the engineer as to n remedy for the drainage difficulty also.

Tin: troubles of the Horough Council an- not coming singly. There is at the

moment quite a crop of matters municipal which will cost a good deal to dispose of satisfactorily. Another difficulty is being created hv the suggested proposal to move the Clock 'lower. To move that monument means its demolition, because the tower is so built, that it will not he possible .to take it to pieces in sections., 'lo attempt its removal as has been suggested at the Council will he very costly. It will he far cheaper to repair or strengthen the internal structure ol the tower and leave it where it. is. As regards being a menace to traflic. that can he met in a great measure by passing a by-law to regulate traffic at the point referred to. .11 one-way traffic were decided upon, a rate of s|>eed fixed and imposed for passing the towel', the position would he lairiv met. The Clock Tower has been *ll

position now upwards of a quarter ol a century, and its very presence causes a check on approaching traffic and the exercise of care which shows that ••safety first” is observed very closely by the drivers ol vehicles. But apart from that we have to realise that the 'lower memorialises an event which called for a very great sacrifice. Tlio foundation stone was laid with much pomp and ceremony in the early part of the present century, and it was unveiled subsequently with no less honor and respect. The ceremonies which marked those occasions were not entered upon lightly, nor were the opinions and sentiments expressed by the speakers on those occasions empty phrases. They re-echoed the thoughts of the minds and the feelings of the hearts of the people ut the time. In the few years which have passed we do not think the w'ople have so far forgotten that there will he any general agreement with the {proposal to remove the monument to the memory of those who served and fell in the South African War to any less conspieous place. There are many towns of greater traffic than Hokitika, which have cherished memorials in the public streets, and there is no suggestions of moving them. What the civic authorities chi is to so regulate the traffic, by local by-laws that safety will ho ensured anti the ’rights of all safeguarded. The same precautions could he taken here, and that, would he preferable to demolishing the Clock Tower and distributing what remained of it into sections about the town.