The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, July 11, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1270, 11 July 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, July 11, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The conference of local body delegates which sat in Wellington this week to discuss reading and railway facilities in the Wellington province, unanimously endorsed Foxton’s remit re the extension of the tramway from Pukenui to Marton, and the Mayor is to be congratulated upon the lucid manner in which he submitted the details to the conference. The Horowheuua County and Levin Borough Councils’ remit re the necessity for linking up the Main Trunk Line between Levin and Marlon was also carried by an overwhelming majority. The Prime Minister was subsequently deputationised on the subject and expressed the opinion that the work would have to be undertaken in the future. It only now remains for those interested to keep the pot boiling until the requests asked for are definitely under taken by the Government.

“The raising of the age at which children are carried free over the railways, and the reducing of the rate for the conveyance of passengers between the ages of five and fourteen years,” the Minister of Railways stated on Wednesday, in reply to Mr Myers, “would involve a very serious loss of revenue, which, in view of the increased cost of operating, the Department cannot afford at present.” We fail to see how the Minister arrives at his conclusions. If trial concessions were made say, for a period of twelve months, we feel certain that instead of a decrease, there would be an increase in railway revenue. It is scandalous to think that parents are penalised while concessions are made on the carriage of blood stock, polo ponies, racehorses, etc. Surely our children are of more importance to the State than stock.

ThE Reform Party in this electorate are at last putting on their war paint and girding their loins for the coming general election. Branches of the Reform Deague are being formed in every centre of settlement and when properly organised an executive committee will be set up to direct operations. On Tuesday evening next a meeting of Government supporters will be held in Foxtou when a branch

of the League will be formed and delegates appointed to act on the executive. The Reform Party has a difficult problem to solve in the selection of a candidate, but if success is to be achieved at the polls cue candidate only should represent the Party, The Party has to make choice between Messrs Brown and Field and these gentlemen should be bound to abide by the decision of the executive in the final selection.

Thk maternal instinct is strong in every woman and although affluent circumstances and the conventionalities of an artificial life may cause her to shun the divine privilege of motherhood, yet the longing to cuddle and pet something finds an outlet in pug dogs, teddy bears down to walking sticks! Anyhow, there is a danger to health in some pets and recently a doctor recommended ladies to make a pet of a pig rather than a dog or a cat, as they don't carry disease. A correspondent to our Carterton contemporary says he knows “that a sucking pig makes the cunningest little pet plaything a boy or girl can have, but they grow big too quickly. A pet lamb is just a silly lump of wool, but a young pig is wonderfully intelligent, and plays games and tricks in the funniest way, as well as developing an extraordinary amount of affection.” Now, ladies, what do you think of the “unclean animal ?”