The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, October 8, 1910. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 902, 8 October 1910, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, October 8, 1910. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

We congratulate the promoters of the local bowling club upon safely negotiating the initiatory difficulties associated with the launching of such an association. The formation of sports clubs is, in the main, not very costly. A bowling club, however, necessitates a considerable outlay of time and money. It was the latter difficulty that stood in the wav of Mr Clemett and a few others when they attempted to form a club about three years ago. With the advent of Mr Witchell, a bowling enthusiast, assisted by the Mayor, Dr, Mandl, Mr Hennessy and a few other prominent townsmen, a fresh effort was made to lay down a green for the ancient game of bowls. Mr Climie, the well-known civil engineer, rendered valuable assistance to the promoters and took the levels of a suitable section and prepared plans, specifications and an estimate of the cost. With a knowledge of the approximate cost of providing a green, the promoters put their heads together to find the “needful.” Debentures were taken up and a number of gentlemen guaranteed a sum of ,£l5O at the Bank. The Borough Council granted the club a 21 years’ lease of the corner section near the windmill in the Avenue, and a contract was let to Mr Harrison, of Eltham, to put the green down. The work was faithfully carried out together with other necessary improvements at a total cost of to be erected and water service completed. It is expected that the green will be ready to play on in about two months time. We hope a large number of townspeople will become members. The only qualification tor membership is respectability and we all possess this - virtue in Foxton—and ability to pay the annual lee of two guineas. By the way, there is an entrance fee of 10s, which the club has decided to waive, if subscriptions are paid on or before the 31st December. We hope

there will be a numerous membership, not only for the sake of the finances, but because the ancient game is a healthy, clean amusement and creates a fellow feeling and a closer knowledge and understanding of each other. We wish the Foxton Bowling Club a successful career.

As we practically prophesied, the poll taken on Thursday for a loan of .£II,OOO to purchase the local gas works (,£9000), and provide for extensions to same (,£2000) was carried by an overwhelming majority. The voting was as follows: for, 107 ; against, 8 ; informal 2. Out of a roll of 470 ratepayers only 117 recorded their votes. There was practically no opposition to the loan proposals. That the ratepayers have done the correct thing in sanctioning the loan will be made manifest in a few years time. It must not be expected that the venture will be profit-earning immediately. It may be necessary to fall back upon the rates tor a small amount for the first year or two. If such a contingency should arise the money will be paid back at a later date with interest added. It is to be regretted that the money to be raised could not be obtained from the State Guaranteed Advances Office. We do not blame the office for refusing to advance the money for the purpose required, as such funds should be reserved for purposes of greater public utility. By the way, we presume Foxton’s application for .£20,000, which was granted by the office for water and drainage purposes, still holds good in view of another poll being taken ? We hope the Council will obtain definite information on this important point, for a large proportion of the people are desirous that our councillors shall redeem their pledges before their term of office expires in April next. But to return to the gas loan. When it was ascertained that the loan money could not be obtained from the source above-mentioned, the Council lost no time in prosecuting enquiries elsewhere, and we have no doubt that the money will be obtained within the margin set forth in the loan proposals.

We are pleased that the ratepayers have sanctioned the loan because the purchase negotiations were urged upon the ratepayers through these columns after two interviews our representative had with the chairman of the gas proprietary. We ascertained from him the irreducible sum the proprietary would take for the works, and although we were not privileged to use the information or the result ot the interviews in our columns, we urged upon the Council the immediate purchase as against waiting for the first optional period to fall due. We laid certain facts before several councillors and at a subsequent Council meeting a resolution was passed to approach the proprietary. Thus the two parties were brought together and the Council agreed to purchase at the price mentioned to us by Mr Norwood and which the ratepayers have endorsed. The Council has already paid the ,£IOO deposit to clinch the bargain and we hope before long that the lighting will be under municipal control.