FOXTON’S NINE MUSES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1044, 16 September 1911, Page 3

FOXTON’S NINE MUSES.

(From “Horowhenua Chronicle.")

Sidelights upon Foxton’s stagnation during the period of forty or fifty years that has ensued since that district was first settled were shed for those who could see them during a recent discussion in the Foxlon Borough Council concerning the advisableness of getting a high-pressure water supply for the joint use of Shannon and Foxtou. Details of the discussion appeared in our yesterday’s issue. Foxtou, as everybody knows, is a sandswept, droughty town, in which the chronic insufficiency of the average summer rainfall is made greater through the failure of the average Foxtouiau houseowners to supply ther tenants with sufficient tanks for the conservation of the rain that does fall. Foxtou, in short, is the somnolent borough of let things wait ; the town of grudge a penny ; the home of municipal ineffectiveness. A new public hall has been built there this year—for the accommodation of travelling companies of entertainers —but an immeasurably more important need —that of getting for the town an effective water supply has been postponed indefinitely. Why not ? the councillors ask. There is lots of water in the Manawalu river ; and if it is muddy and brackish and flax stained that is no great matter, apparently. Besides, it may rain more than usual during the approaching summer season ! In any event, the fact remains that the proposed Foxton-Shannou water supply scheme, of which much has been said and written during the last six months or so, has been postponed for further consideration until twelve month’s time —or was it twelve years ?—by the vacillating borough Council ui Foxton. The scheme was entered upon so vigorously in its early stages, and the detail was considered so mutually satisfactory as it was being worked up from stage to stage, that Shannon folk began to congratulate themselves upon the seeming fact that their troubles and Foxtou’s concerning water shortages were at an end. But now that the proposal has reached a stage whereat something definite needs to be done —some step to be taken that will commit the Foxton Borough Council to something concrete, instead of maintaining a nebulous proposition —that more or less sapient body—like the municipal periwinkle that it is—recoils into its shell of impervious nature and exclaims “ Avaunt ” to the Shannon delegates. We can sympathise with Shannon. Here in Levin the citizens had a like experience with the Foxtonian council. That coquettish body minced and tripped around the Levin Borough Council for six or eight weeks about a year ago. In the end, Levin made them a very fair offer in regard to tapping this town’s high-pressure water supply with a main for Foxtou. It was at this point that the practical stage was reached ; so the Foxton Borough Council at this stage felt that it must break off negotiations. Nine mouths later the Foxton Borough Council had got venturesome again, and so a coquettish expedition of water seekers set out for Shannon. Quite a number of estimable Shannon citizens then were induced to mount fiery steeds and venture up semi - impassable ravines and down dangerous declivities, in pain of body and danger of limb, to prove the inexhaustible nature ot the available water supplies. The Foxtou visitors were reported to be charmed. Probably they would have continued so had Shannon been willing to let the scheme remain one for fulfilment in some shadowy future. As, however, Shannon’s executive displayed a reasonable degree ot haste, Foxtou became alarmed, and this week it was resolved that the Foxtou Borough Council gave Shannon twelve mouths’ notice of intention to hold the next meeting! If Shannon folk are well advised they will put small trust in Foxtou’s effectiveness as an alleged helper, and perfect some smaller and less expensive water supply scheme which they themselves will be able lu pay for and maintain. Foxtou, we are afraid, will not get its high-pressure water supply until the Health Department steps in and instals it willy nilly ; but we fully expect to hear the Foxtou Borough Council making watery ventures in 1913 to some other town of sufficient altitude and scenery to give reasonable grounds for approach on the subject.