The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, January 4, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1089, 4 January 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, January 4, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The Railway Department is enforcing the rule in respect to charging for infants travelling on the railways over two and a-balf years of age. The guards have been instructed to see that this rule is strictly enforced, and many mothers, apparently in blissful ignorance ol the age limit, have had their small savings depleted, and have been much disconcerted during the holiday season. While travelling on the railways during the recent holiday season, on several occasions we saw the guard scrutinise Tommy and Polly and Johnnie’s forms as the little ones had their faces pressed to the carriage window, eagerly watching the passing scenes, and perhaps enjoying their first railway ride. Then the voice of the guard would break forth with “ whose children are these ?” A mother with a baby in her arms claimed the little ones, the colour mounting to her cheeks the while under the gaze of her fellow passengers—because guards don’t talk in whispers. “ Have you tickets for these ?” asks the guard. She blushingly falters “No.” The guard proceeds forthwith to produce his book, and writes out tickets for the three young olive branches, not one of whom is eight years of age, and the mother is compelled to “ part up ” the few shillings which were to be expended on the kiddies at the seaside. This occurred on the Taranaki section, but we saw the guards diligently carrying out their duty on other sections. We have no fault to find with the officials, but we think the age limit is ridiculously low, and steps should immediately be taken to raise the limit to seven years. The two and a-half year limit imposes a great hardship on hundreds of mothers who, through lack of funds, will be debarred from taking a short pleasure trip, after perhaps a year of drudgery. By raising the age limit it would be found that the Department would not lose a penny piece. Further, it is the duty of the State to make whatever reasonable concessions it can to the family man, as we think he is of greater ini' portance to the State than blood stock.

It will be interesting news to those who opposed the loan for the Municipal Hall to hear that up to the present the building has returned a handsome profit—a profit which will make it selfsupporting for some time ahead. The building has been let freely during the past three mouths lor local purposes, but it is questionable whether the hall would be self-supporting on a purely letting basis. It is the picture entertainments which bring grist to the mill, and if the present standard of excellence in regard to the pictures is maintained there should not be any falling off in public patronage. It is gratifying to know that the hall is going to be a revenue-pro-ducer instead of, as some predicted, a while elephant. The other municipal enterprise, the gas works, under the present efficient management, is doing well, and there is no reason why it should not be self supporting within five years from the .time the Council acquired it. Despite the financial handicap and the unjustifiable rumours which were- circulated when the concern was acquired, the ratepayers in the near future will have reason to feel satisfied with their bargain. It only now remains for the Council to solve the water and drainage difficulty and then Foxton will be brought into line with the most up-to-date boroughs in the Dominion.

We don’t have to go to fertile Taranaki for examples of what the land will carry in cows for dairying. Within a stone’s throw of Foxton a holder of 35 acres of land grazes and milkes 25 cows, besides keeping a horse, etc., while another holder of 45 acres milks 25 cows, keeps a horse and 12 head of young stock !

At a recent meeting of the local Borough Council a resolution was passed calling upon the owners and occupiers of certain sections in Thyuue Street to fence in the frontages recently acquired from the Council. While the Council were about it they might have gone the whole hog and made the resolution apply to all uufenced sections in the borough, as we can see no reason why owners should be compelled to erect fences in one quarter of the town while other sections, even in the main thoroughfare, remain unfenced, unless the fencing of Thynne Street frontages was a condition of purchase. For the sake of appearances it would be an advantage to have the fencing done. Section 193 of the Municipal Corporations Act provides that; Wherever the public health, safety or convenience renders it expedient the Council may require the owner or occupier of any land not separated from a

street by a sufficient fence to enclose the same by a fence to the satisfaction of the Council.

The point is : Does the public health, safety or convenience demand, that the Tbynue Street frontages shall be fenced? The. onus of proof rests upon the Council.