Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 967, 16 March 1911, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The ratepayers at yesterday’s poll on the loan proposal of ,£2,800 for the erection of a Municipal Hall, declared by an overwhelming majority in favour of a municipally owned building. Even those who opposed the proposal admitted that a hall was necessary, but their objections ran in various ways —some were anxious to become members of a syndicate; others had an eye to vested interests, while not a few objected on the principle that water and drainage was of prior importance, and a few feared an increase in rates. With such a diversity of views there could be no concrete opposition campaign, yet we believe all who intended to oppose the loan discharged their duties as citizens. A number of supporters of the proposal, though entitled to vote, had not taken the trouble to ascertain whether their names were on the roll until too late and were thus disfranchised. We congratulate the citizens upon the result of the poll because it marks a turn in the tide of Foxton’s public affairs and, as the Mayor said last night, inspires the Council with hope for the future. The credit of yesterday’s success is wholly due to the enterprise and spirit of unanimity on the question displayed by the Mayor and his Council. From past experience the Council knew that merely to pass a resolution sanctioning the hall without making any individual effort to give effect to same, would jeopardise the carrying of the loan. This goes to prove that a councillor's responsibilities do not cease at the horse - shoe table, but, as a thorough representative of the people, he is required to disseminate his knowledge and lead the ratepayers. We repeat, with all deference to our worthy Mayor and Councillors, that had they displayed the same enthusiasm over the water and drainage proposals as they did in connection with the hall, householders would now have been enjoying the blessings of an abundant water supply for domestic and other uses, and the abominable pan would for ever have been banished from the rear of our premises. It now remains for the Council to get the hall erected without unnecessary delay. In this connection we would suggest that before the plans are definitely decided upon

that au expert theatre manager be asked to confer with the Council and discuss the details and appointments of the proposed building.

The total number of those entitled to vote at yesterday’s poll was approximately 420. Of this number 19S recorded their votes in favour of the proposal and 43 against, whilst four voles were informal, giving a total of 247, being 55.80 per cent, of the names on the roll. When the number of absentees is taken into consideration it will be seen that a very fair percentage exercised their votes. Yesterday’s loan proposal was the third that has been put before the ratepayers during the life of the present Council. The first was on March 22nd, 1910, when a poll was taken on the proposal to borrow ,£20,000 for the installation of a water supply and drainage system. On that occasion 246 recorded their votes, 90 favouring the scheme, and 150 voting against it, while six votes were informal. In October of the same year a poll was taken on the gas purchase and extension proposal, for which a loan of ,£II,OOO was asked for. On this occasion only 117 votes were recorded, the polling being : For the proposal, 107 ; against, 8 ; informal, 2.

In about six weeks from now the burgesses will be choosing members of the Borough Council, and on the same day, 26th April, the Harbour Board election will take place, with the wide franchise in each instance. This will afford an opportunity of judging the depth and breadth of the demand for the “popular vote.” So far there have been very few local applications for enrolment under the extended franchise. We hope our present Mayor and Councillors will continue in office for another term in order to carry to completion the municipal hall. We understand that all the ■ present Councillors, except Crs hevett and Robinson, who have left the district, will again place their services at the disposal of the ratepayers. One or two prominent citizen have also been approached to offer their services for a term and their names will be mentioned at a later date.

On April 2 the census will be taken. The householder has to set out in the various columns the names of the people who passed the night of Sunday, April 2, under his roof, or arrived there on Monday morning without having been included elsewhere. He must also state their sex, age last birthday, whether married, widow or widower, divorced or never married, how long he or she has been married, the number of children living and dead, the occupation of the various inmates, whether they are employers or employees, if they have been unemployed for more than a week, if he or she is totally blind, deaf and dumb, imbecile or feeble-minded, the country of birth, the degree of education, whether receiving education, and if so, at what class of school. As to religious denominations, the householder must not, he is told, simply describe anyone as a Protestant, Methodist or Catholic, for instance. He must give the exact title of the denomination to which he belongs, and write against the names of children the religion in which it is intended they are to be brought up. If the person is a Freethinker, or of no denomination he must say so. If he object to state to what religious denomination he belongs he need merely write “ object.” The householder, who is responsible for the filling up of the form, has also to give a description of f he dwelling, the amount of rent he pays, the number of geese, ducks, fowls, turkeys, or other poultry that he keeps, the number of beehives, and the honey and beeswax produced during the year. Which, it will be admitted, is formidable enough, and will probably worry many folk not used to the filling in of exact documents.

A remarkable statement is reported to have been made b\ r the Rev. Monsignor Fowler, a visiting Catholic prelate from Sioux City, U.S.A., to Wellington, during the course of a sermon in the Sacred Heart Church, Wellington, on Sunday last. The rev. gentleman preached an eloqueut sermon on St. Patrick and the Irish during the course of which he is reported by the New Zealand Times to have said; •* On his recent visit Mr Roosevelt had told King George that the English need never look for alliance with America until they did justice to Ireland.” That statement, on the face of it, appears an utter absurdity. It presumes that King George had raised a question, while graciously conceding an audience to Mr Roosevelt, that he would not dare do, and secondly that Mr Roosevelt would appear a bigger cock-a-doodle-do than the most extravagant cartoonist could imagine him. The children of the Puritan fathers are still a great force in the United States and if ever the home of their forefathers were threatened by a foreign power, whether Home Rule was granted or not, their moral, physical and financial support would be found on the side of Old England.