CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2173, 7 September 1920, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.)

Kindly allow me a little space in, which to further the good cause, viz., water and drainage, as lids has become a vital necessity to the progress of the town, a few lines will not be out of place. But the main theme of my 'object is to put the small householder on his guard againsf the aptly termed “old fossils” who are doing their best to defeat the proposals. Here ift Foxton arc a few species of the days of tussocks and open drains; men who never sec any further than their own pecuniary interests, men who have made theif- money in the place, spent all their lives here, and in all their careers have done nothing to advance the town, because it might drag a few pence extra outmif their pockets, which appears to be their lirst and last consideration. Here’s a sample of (heir mentality, as evidenced by the utterance of one of them: “Our lathers and mothers did not need water and drainage.” There may be a reason why, perhaps, hut did his parents- liiul it necessary to ride hornejn a motor car? It the same individuals will say they had to use a bullock dray, well, why don’t they ply for hire with one instead of a taxi i It would be in keeping with his somewhat aiitedcluvian argument. If one or two of our residents prefer the old-time system, that’s their taste; if they also prefer to have their tea made with water from the roof, from which all manner of tilth is washed into the tanks, let them have it, but? their taste should not be used to try'and defeat those who are trying to advance the town. It s not the welfare of the place these old fossils have at heart, it's the prospect of (hose odd acres which arc lyingidle being made to share the cost. Their pocket again! And tiicy want lhe f whole place kept back Jur that reason. Among those, who are tak-

ing-a prominent part is a senior Councillor, who, prior to all elections, brags about his eitovts to advance the town, yet to-day he puts his own personal interests "before the interests of (he people who have been putting him in council to further the interests of the town. But now it is Ids idle acres that count first, not the general interests of the ( lectors. That the people will carry the loan 1 do not doubt —that the people will put health and sanitary convenience before the present dirty and out-of-date system, 1 have no doubt, despite the ravings of those relics of sixty years ago, who are , too thick in the head to do otherthan get in the road of the younger and more advanced thinking part outlie population. So vote for the loan! —I am, etc., E.G.M.

(To the Editor.)

Sir. —As avc have uoav an cfliciont Harbour Board, I would beg to sug- _ gest 1 ha.l they try and lessen the price of coal. Auckland is able to sell coal cheaper than we get it, by one or (avo pounds per ton. As our being unable to got the coal boats up the river to the avluuT regularly necessitates our getting our suppliesby rail, via the Manawalu line and Palmerston N., hut had avc a small ■ branch .line, of less than three miles direct to a wharf on the flats near the Fishermen's houses, at To Wluirangi, branching off from the railway line at the Avindmill near the racecourse, the price avouUl be even loAver than that of Auckland,,as we are much nearer the southern and Australian coal mines than they are. The coal boats, stopping at Urn ■ Heads, would obviate the necessity of their coming up to the township, chancing their getting stuck,on the. mud flats, half-way up the river, as ■ (hey used to do, yvlien the river bed Avas not scoured by freshes. The risk of the bar being shallow at . limes could be obviated by the pilot wiring the boat about to come. In 1905 I aatolc about a light line to the beach, with motor 'busses with Hanged wheels, running regularly most of the year, hut with the line 1 now propose, four of those ’busses, with a small loopline half-way, would give us a very quick service _ during the busy limes, ajul also bc'jr the means of its inducing many *

more people to come here during the (lie line weather it is now our lime lo gel. —1 am, etc., A( L )UAKIUS. (To The Editor.) Pir. —East night I had a dream. Previously, 1 may say, 1 had intended voting against the proposal, but last night’s dream cured me. 1 dreamed that 1 had come hack lo Foxtail after a long absence, and found to my surprise that the old- cemetery had been re-opened, and was tilled with children’s graves. On the to]) of the sand hill had been erected a statue of a man with one foot on a brass rail,.ami holding in his hand a glass rampant. Underneath the statue was this motto: “We Idled the Cemetery, but we Saved Our Kates.” To-morrow I vote for water. —I am, etc., KEFOKMED.