The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1908. THU MAYORALTY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 375, 21 April 1908, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1908. THU MAYORALTY.

At noon to-morrow nominations for the mayoralty close. We understand the present Mayor, B G. Gower, Esq., is to be requisitioned to offer his services for another term. He stated at the Count il table at the last ordinary meeting, that it was not his intention to again seek re-election, but the Council was unanimous of opinion that he should continue in office. His Worship’s reason for not desiring to rule the destinies of the Council was that his private affairs required much of his time, and further, he had taken up the onerous duties of Chairman of the recently constituted Drainage Board. We do not like to see the willing horse worked to death, but as the Council have no great schemes in the making for the current year, we hope that Mr Gower will accede to the request to again place his services at the disposal of the ratepayers. We believe in the infusion of new blood and a stirring up of the dry bones, but the people’s minds will be occupied for some time to come with thenew system of rating which comes into vogue almost immediately, and then will follow the rough and tumble of the general election and licensing poll. Therefore, the Mayor will not be called upon to any great extent, except to ‘ ‘ take the chair’’ at public meetings. During the year just closed several important works have been carried out, particulars of which have appeared in these columns, and under the Mayor’s guidance, a spirit of co-operation and good feeling has been evidenced at the Council table, which, we sincerely hope, will continue. As far as we can gather, the principal works to be undertaken during the present year will be the construction of footpaths in the back streets, and we think our readers will agree that it is time something was done to improve our footways. Next year we hope to see a mayoral candidate come forward with a progressive policy including a water scheme and the erection of an up-to-date Town Hall, in order to bring Foxton into line with other boroughs throughout the Dominion. Harking back to the Mayoralty, the thanks of the ratepayers and householders are due to Mayor Gower for his faithful services in the past and anticipation of another term of office, which, we hope, he will see his way to accept.

Fox I on, paints a very dreary picture of the late winter in the Old Country. lie says, inter alia : “ The last winter has been a wet and gloomy season , bearing a good deal of hard times. The suffering and poverty of the unwashed millions, in England, when trade is bad, are things almost beyond description. It is impossible to realise what the horrible dirt and poverty is amongst so much of English life. It is as depressing as it is revolting. The social and political economists are beginning to realise that public charity, admirable and Christianlike as it may be, is not a remedy. It never touches the cause. It can only deal with the effect. In all communities, where industrial activity takes place on strictly comparative lines, such as in Kngland and America of to-day, it is inevitable that there should be a waste product of humanity. Such product is the “unemployable.” Under the smoke laden atmosphere, some men, whose heredity frequently originates in the slums, arc doomed to an idle, dirty vagabondage, that is not always their fault. L’oorfood, want of exercise, dirty —in short all the shortcomings of their environment aided often by the inevitable hereditary tendencies, stunt the free soaring spirit of the man, and raise the idle, shiftless devil of the waster. These people are often confined with the “unemployed.” the unfortunate thousands, who, by the pressure of the economic conditions produced'!)./ slack trade, are left to wander in search of the tyrant food. They are the real sufferers in this disgusting climate.”