The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 30, 1909. TO-MORROW’S POLL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 487, 30 September 1909, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 30, 1909. TO-MORROW’S POLL.

It should be needless to remind burgesses that a poll will be taken to-morrow at the Council Chambers for the election of a councillor to fill the extraordinary vacancy caused by the retirement of Mr Jenks. The polling hours will be between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. There are three “good men and true" in the field, viz., Messrs John Chrystall, R. H. Dalhousie, and W, S. Stewart. We have previously referred to the platforms of Messrs Chrystall and Stewart, which are both of a progressive nature, and should meet with hearty support. The difficulty will be, however, to induce those who endorse the views of the candidates to record their votes at the ballot box. Mr Dalhousie has circularised the burgesses, and his platform, as contained in the circular, while progressive, is elaborate and critical. He is also a water and drainage advocate, favours the footpaths being renovated throughout the borough, and Victoria Park improved as a safe and sanitary play ground for the children, and the sale-guarding of the ratepayers’ interests in the important matters ot street and house-lighting. We agree with Mr Dalhousie that as much of the municipal work as possible should be done by day work and not by contract. More particularly does this apply in large undertakings such as water and drainage schemes. There is one point in Mr Dalhousie’s platform, however, to which we must take exception. It is in reference to the purchase of the gas works. He says : Whilst strongly of opinion that lighting should be the property of the burgesses, I am not in lavour of the proposed purchase of the local proprietary’s outfit unless due allowance be made in price for the recent frequent and flagrant breaches of their agreement with the Council.

The principle set up by the candidate, while praiseworthy, is in the nature of a quibble, and when weighed against pioprietary goodwill after a five years’ period would be infinitisimal. It’s not good business to throw away a five-pound note in order to recover a halfsovereign. In this we think Mr Dalhousie has erred. In our opinion the remissness of the proprietary in regard to street-lighting should have been dealt with in a more business-like manner by the Council. That point has now been settled. All the candidates are working quietly to ensure success at to-morrow’s poll, and we hope the burgesses will show their interest in our municipal affairs by exercising their votes.