The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 982, 22 April 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Theke appears to be confusion in the minds of a number of electors as to whether they are entitled to vote for candidates other than lor seats on the Borough Council next Wednesday. We have previously pointed out that every elector on the District Electors List of the Borough of Foxton — and there are 699 names on the list —is called upon to vote for the election of : (a) Niue Borough Councillors. (b) Two members of the Foxton Harbour Board. (c) Two members of the Wellington Harbour Board. The first point is to ascertain from the Town Clerk whether your name is on the roll, or, better still, purchase a roll from the alorcsaid officer at a cost of one shilling. Then look over the list of gentlemen nominated for the several positions; study the Individual merits of the candidates, and make your selection. Don’t be fooled into voting for “Jones” or “Thompson” because “he’s a decent sort of chap,” but let ability and merit on the part of the candidates alone entitle them lo your support. Too often one bears scathing and adverse criticism of public men, but there would be less occasion for faultfinding if electors took a more intelligent interest in the election of representatives to fill public positions. Our public bodies are what

we make them, and if their ad' ministration is lax the blame must rest upon the shoulders of the electors. In this connection it is questionable whether the extended franchise will elevate local public life. Contested elections are educative and beneficial to the masses. Touching Wednesday’s election, each voter will receive three voting papers, distinct in colour, containing the names of the candidates for whom it is desired to vote. There are twelve candidates seeking election for nine seats on the Borough Council ; the voter is entitled to vote for any number not exceeding nine by placing a cross in the square opposite the name of each candidate for whom it is desired to vote. Four candidates’ names appear on the ballot paper for election to t,vo seals on the Foxton Harbour Board, and tour candidates’ names appear on the voting paper for two seats on the Wellington Harbour Board. It does not invalidate the voting papers to vote for less than the number required. The names of the candidates appear elsewhere in this issue.

Wk hope that the Harbour Board and Borough Council elections will not overshadow an important election which will take place on Monday evening next in the State School, viz., the election of a School Committee. We urge parents to roll up and hear what the outgoing committee have done during their term of office. Great improvements have been effected to the grounds during the past year and a considerable sum of money expended to this end. Much has yet to be done, for it is the ambition of those who have the welfare of the school at heart to make it one of the most attractive, externally as well as internally, under the jurisdiction of the Wanganui Board. We hope, therefore, that householders will evince an interest in the local Committee's administration by attending the meeting on Monday night.

There is community of interest between the local Borough Council and the Foxton Harbour Board, and in the past the Council had the power to appoint one of its members to a seat on the Board. Under the amended Harbours’ Act, the power ot appointment, except in the case of Government representation, has been deleted. The importance of the Council being linked to the Board by direct representation is manifest and requires no elaboration from us. We assume that Crs Gibbs and Rimmer (who have both nominated lor the Harbour Board) will be returned to the Council, and either would make capable representatives on the Board. There is, however, a risk of vote splitting which may prevent the Council from representation on the Board which it is entitled to. With only one prospective Councillor standing the issue would have been clear to the voter. We should regret, and we feel sure that the majority of voters in the borough would share that regret, if it so happened that the borough was not represented on the Board for the reason above stated. It will be seen that the Boroughs of Palmerston and Levin are already represented and it now remains for Foxton to follow suit. The local candidates who are offering have already been referred to, but it is matter for surprise that the Chairman has not enunciated a policy for public consideration. We know what has been done in the past, but the electors have also a right to know what the future policy is to be. The Chairman would be well advised to take the electors into his confidence and we invite him to do so in our next issue.