The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 983, 25 April 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

It should not be necessary to remind electors that to-morrow they are called upon to elect two members of the Foxton Harbour Board. The four candidates offering are Messrs Gibbs, Hennessy, Ferreau and Rimmer. In this connection we refer our readers to the platforms published elsewhere of two of the candidates, vL Messrs Gibbs and Rimmer. Both these candidates are in favour of acquiring the wharf, and thus doing away with the present dual control. In order to provide security for the wherewithal to accomplish this, they favour the creation of a wide rating area over which a rate could be struck. They urge the improvement of the bar in order to facilitate shipping, and thus ensure a continuous service, which alone can raise the port to that importance as a distributing centre for which it is naturally and geographically situated. A plank in their platform which is of particular local interest is the setting aside ot a portion of the foreshore for the purposes of public swimming baths. This is a matter which no doubt will receive the hearty support of the Borough Council. They are men who have served the town faithfully and in a commendable and public-spirited manner, and if elected can be relied upon to safeguard the welfare of the port. Elsewhere in this issue Mr Heunessy inserts a letter, which we likewise commend to the careful perusal of electors. Putting aside his decidedly uncalled-for and irrelevant preamble, he states that “ the object of the Board can be concisely stated in three words : • get the wharf.’” We cannot, however, agree with his statement that until this is accomplished “there is no hope whatever of further progress.” While admitting that the acquisition of the wharf is the magnum opus of the Board, yet minor matters which are of comparative importance can be carried out. The public administrator who neglects the small things because he cannot achieve the great is lopsided. The harmony of the Board depends to a large extent upon the diplomacy and tact of its chairman, and a wise chairman will always have respect for the opinions of others, even though those opinions do not coincide with his own. If there has not been unanimity among Board members in the past, the Chairman cannot be held altogether blameless. With all due deference to the enthusiasm displayed by the Chairman in the past, and for which we have at all times given him credit, we are optimistic enough to believe that there are others equally with himself who have the welfare of the port at heart, and, should occasion demand it, would fill the breach and not for one moment allow Foxton to lose what it has gained. Public men have arisen in Foxton whose patriotism and enterprise augur well for the future, not only of the borough, but of the port. We have previously referred to Mr Perreau’s candidature, and we see no reason to alter our views in this connection.

The Borough Council Election which takes place to-morrow, is creating a good deal of interest

aud we presume qualifications of the twelve candidates have been discussed by everyone concerned. Nine out of the twelve are to be elected. As we have previously pointed out, we hope the electors will mark their appreciation of the good work accomplished by the late Council by returning those of them who are offering their services for another term of office, viz., Crs Adams, Geo. Coley, Gibbs, Rimmer, Stewart, and Alex. Speirs. We are not going to single any of them out for special commendation, as their administration of the affairs of the Borough during the past two years is of itself sufficient to entitle them to a continuance of the confidence of the electors. The new aspirants to office are Messrs Carter, Chryst'dl, Greig, Littlejohn, Parkes and Woodroofe. Mr Carter is a large property holder within the Borough and is at present a member of the Moutoa Drainage Board. He is a keen aud level-headed citizen, has the courage of his convictions aud possesses initiative ; is an ardent supporter of water and drainage aud is anxious to promote any movement for the welfare of the borough. Mr Chrystall is better known now than when he previously offered his services to the burgesses. He is a man of progressive ideas and with a disposition that commands respect. He is also a progressive candidate, and we hope to see him returned by a good majority. Undoubtedly the strongest candidate among the new blood is Mr Greig, the wellkrown flaxmiller. His platform, published elsewhere in this issue, stamps him as a man of broad and enlightened views as touching the health aud thereby the prosperity of the citizens. He is not new to public life, and this fact, backed up by his liberal commercial experience, should commend his services to every voter who seeks the advancement of Foxtou. Messrs Parkes, Littlejohn and Woodroofe are each making their debut into public life and their ambition is a laudable one. That each will obtain a fair measure of support goes without saying and their success at to-morrow’s poll will depend entirely upon the individual efforts they put forth to that end. On the whole the citizens are to be congratulated upon the quantity and quality of the candidates offering, aud may the best men win.

Residents hereabouts on Saturday will have the rare privilege of witnessing an eclipse of the sun —a partial one to us, but an interesting phenomenon nevertheless, as about three-quarters of the solar disc will be darkened. The contact is forecasted to commence at yh. 27m. 30s. a.m., to attain its maximum at Bh. 25m. 245,, and to end at qh.. 27m. 545. It will be seen to the greatest advantage as a total eclipse from the equator at longitude 155 deg. While solar eclipses in general cannot be classed as infrequent, they are seldom seen twice from the same spot, and thus one of them will form a notable incident in the lifetime of the average person. From March 20, 1140 to 1750 no total solar eclipse was seen in London. There will be much smoking of glasses in anticipation of Saturday’s event.

The latest departure ot the Railways administration in the interests of economy concerns the handling of small consignments. It is claimed, also, that it will obviate many delays and greatly relieve the shortage of trucks, proof of which will be welcomed by the public. The new scheme, which comes into operation on Monday next, provides for the accumulation ot consignments for stations with little goods traffic tor transport on two, three, four or five days of the week, according to the amount of traffic. Goods will be received at the principal stations for any specified station on certain days of the week, and forwarded on the following days. The consignees will know on which days their consignments must be delivered, and the consignors will also be informed as to the days on which their orders will be fulfilled by delivery by rail. The system will not operate in the case of a consignment amounting to a truck load, which will be sent forward on any day oftheweek. The Department’s object under the new regulation is to avoid the dispatch of trucks containing less than the maximum load, but whether, as is promised, the result will be less delay and quicker delivery, remains to be seen.

Claude, the man who prevented a catastrophe on the Main Trunk line on the night of Easter Monday, has received many letters of appreciation of his courage and presence of mind, and included m the number i> one from his Excellency the Governor, who was a passenger on the express. The deed was perhaps one of the most brilliant in the history of our country, whilst the consequences it averted were of awful import. It is calculated that, from the time he heard the engine’s whistle, Claude, who was then in his house, had exactly four and a-half minutes to make up his mind and do all the work which saved the train, with a crowd of returning holiday-makers and the Kings representative aboard. In that brief space he leapt several fences, overtook the runaway train, jumped aboard, applied the Westinghouse brake, and, running in front of the train, waved a red light to the express. Even with Mr Claude’s ki "vvledge ol the Westinghouseit is doubtful whether one in a hundred would have accomplished the feat that stands to

his credit, chiefly because it evidences a marvellous rapidity of judgment. There was also a commendable spirit of bravery in such an act: when the express was pulled up it was separated by a length of only two chains from the other train. It is to be hoped that the movement that is afoot to make a suitable recognition of Claude’s services will receive the most generous support. Further, the hero of the affair deserves official reward, and when all the circumstances are considered it is not too much to suggest that the Government grant him a life pension.