The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, MAY 13, 1929. MUNICIPAL WORKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 May 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, MAY 13, 1929. MUNICIPAL WORKS.

The Borough Council made a move on Friday night for the acceleration ol municipal works about the town. A definite decision with regard to Sewell St. drain was arrived at. This work is to he started at once. The Council has been preparing for this large work for some time, and has had the pipe construction under way in advance. There is a considerable supply on hand now, and as the present is considered the most suitable time of the year for the work, the Council will no doubt see that it is pushed on. Another useful suggestion at the meeting was for the members to make a tour of the residential section of the town to see the necessities of the streets, footpaths and drains. No doubt there will he found considerable scope for

expenditure, and some urgent matters are sure to present themselves. A tour ' as proposed should he made an annual I occasion, in order that all parts oi : the borough might have reasonable atI tention when necessities call for it. I It is often a matter of the more prominent places receiving most attention. Yet, if the town has to grow, as there has been pleasing evidence of late, access to the outskirts should be kept up to immediate requirements. It is not unlikely that special expenditure will he called for as a result of the proposed inspection, and on that account the suggestion to apply for a £IOOO subsidy for work for un employed, seems to be very timely. The Council has a large expenditure to face in regard to water works renewals, but it would he unfair to the general conveniences of the town if all expendtiure were conserved for hat purpose. Funds must he found for pressing works about the streets, which should not he starved unduly, and the proposal to attempt permanent works with the assistance of the unemployed subsidy which oilier towns are making the most of, should not be lost sight of in Hokitika. A great deal more should also he done in the improvement of the highway streets. H ith Fitsdierbort and Stafford Streets require improving considerably to carry the extra, traffic in regular They constitute the main thoroughvolume on the streets referred to. fares enlering or leaving the town, and should ho brought to a higher standard. One of the candidates at the late Mayoral contest, referred to the necessity of acquiring road-making machinery to assist in more economical maintenance—particularly in regard to grading and rolling. The suggestion is well worth the consideration of the Council. Whore applied e'sewhere, machinery is capable of very useful service ensuring better roads at much loss cost for maintenance. In the North Island in particular, local bodies are more advanced in using machinery, and reports on all sides indicate the benefit of such a policy. The ultimate saving, apart from providing better roads, is proving very substantial, and the result is more machinery is coming into vogue. The purchase of the machinery nowadays is not a drain on the funds, as through the liberal provision of the highways system, plant of all descriptions can he purchased on deferred payments which actually are not more than maintenance costs, and at the end of a term of four years and a-half. the plant is the property of Ihe local body. The local Council has its opportunity in that respect, and if the £I,OOO unemployment subsidy is received, the scope of work which can he done during the present term would surprise even the members themselves. The polling at the recent election indicated that the electors favoured nrro activity in municipal nffn : rs, and that could not In shown to belter advantage than in the public works policy of the 'Council at this the commencement of a new term of office. The Council is fortunate in having an enthusiastic Chairman of Works, and if funds and plant are provided, a

very progressive and useful policy for Llie beneiit of the town should result. In the Old Country the legal age of marriage is to he rais.d io 1G years ior pors ns of both sexes, 'i’he Bill embodying jth reform—for reform it may he considered, seeing that the legal marriage age in England has hitherto been as low as 12 years in the ease of girls and 14 y_ars in the ease ..i hoys—was introduced *n the House o 4 Lords by L -rd Buexnias.er, and it iias now received ihe approval of the Mouse of Commons. In a reply to i.o.d Hanworth, who in discussing the Bill liau expressed his preference lot measures that had sto ,d the test from generation to generation, Lord Buckmaster no.es die Otago Times, made tiie spirited retort: “i would as sxm worship a gargiyle of the Cathedral ■i Notre Lame because it. lmp-pencd io he part of a sacred edifice as i .v .uld pay tlu least respect to some ii ions anachronism because it happened to he part of our law. To show .re- . creme where it is not due is .o rob re.orencii pf its respec t and the devotion if its grace.” hi wliokheai tedly supporting the principal of the Bill Arclilishop Davidson spoke of Britain as eing at present in the lowest grade >f nations with regard to the mardago age. She found herself, . he pointed out, in the strange company of irecce, Siam, Venezulln, and Cuba in his matter. On die otlu r hand, the narriage age in Franc© is 18 for meii ml 15 for women; Germany 21 for nen and 1(5 for women; in. Norway uid Switzerland 20 for men and 18 for vomen; in Sweden 2.1 f r men and 18 for women;, and in Japan 17 for men nd 15 for women. The comparison ■s instructive. However few marsages may take place in Britain or dtliin the Empire of persons under he age of 1G years, the number must e none the less too large. It will be generally agreed that the raising of he legal age of marriage in the Old ’ 'lintry is overdue. The matter is of ntorest to the dominions, for they have been content to copy the English Miaetment wliicli, without regard to ■nlighened public opinion, has been ermitted to hold good for so lone, 'n New Zealand and other parts of •ne Empire the alteration in th* British law will no doubt commend itself as a change to he imitated.