The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, March 11, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 965, 11 March 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, March 11, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

We congratulate Mayor Stiles upon his lucid, fair and businesslike address to the ratepayers at the public meeting held last night to discuss the proposed Town Gall. His arguments in favour of the proposal were logical and convincing without being lop-sided. He gathered up all the arguments one would imagine could emanate from the minds of those likely to oppose the loan and convincingly proved how untenable they were. His address betokened a spirit of patriotism and citizenship which was refreshing. He did not mince matters in respect to the jeremiads whose doleful croak about the burden of rates is heard so soon as any movement is afoot for the advancement of the town and the well-being of the people as a whole. He animadverted on the serious loss sustained by the borough through the shortsighted action of certain ratepayers by not at first adopting municipal lighting, and to the failure of the water and drainage proposals. The people look for a lead, and much good or ill is accomplished by individual effort. We agree with the Mayor that it is time we shook off the stigma of “poor old Foxton.” But we shall not do so unless ratepayers throw off their lethargy. We are pleased to see such enthusiasm displayed by every Councillor on this question, and if the same spirit had been displayed on the water and drainage scheme this much-needed and health-giving reform would have been an established fact now. If the hall loan proposals fail it will be through no fault of the Mayor and Council. The Mayor made it very clear last night that the increase of rates as touching this question was a mere bogey and we commend his figures, as published elsewhere in this issue to the careful perusal of ratepayers. The objections to the hall that one now hears are mere quibbles and are not worthy of serious consideration. Let us show outsiders that the spirit of progress is not dead in Foxton by carrying the loan proposals next Wednesday by a huge majority,