The Pahiatua Star. (Published Tuesdays and Fridays.) FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1886.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 1, Issue 21, 20 August 1886, Page 2

The Pahiatua Star. (Published Tuesdays and Fridays.) FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1886.

Great interest i* being taken in the coming Town Board election, its is evidenced by the large number of candidates nominated. It is not our intention to suggest tlie return of any individual candidate, but it is nevertheless important that a representative Board should be returned. The Town District of Paliiatua, along the main road, is built upon from boundary to boundary, and it would therefore be more satisfactory to all if north, south, and centre were as evenly balanced as possible. There arc twelve candidates in the field, all of whom, we are certain, have tlie interests of the district at heart; 1 ut as it is impossible that the whole cun bo returned, the ratepayers would do well to make a careful study of the qualifications of each, and return those most fitted for the position, keeping in mind the advisability of a fair division of members. Wo believe as regards voting power the south and centre are much stronger than tho north, and possibly there may he an inclination on the part of the strong to deprive the weak cf their rights ; hut we trust not, fur in the establishment of an important local body like the one under notice, a representative Board is undeniably the only course to adopt to be in keeping with fair-play and justice. Works will bo required to be done in various parts of tlie town, and none are so capable of judging of what is wanted as those who live on the spot. We have good reasons for recomnu tiding this course, and such is our faitli in the ratepayers that vve believe they will do their utmost to . - ttion. Whilst on Town Board matters, vve may as well refer to the position of ratepayers as regards voting, as doubts appear to exist in the minds of many on this important point. Ratepayers will be supplied with as many voting papers as they have votes—that i;;, if a person according to the roll has four votes, be we will raceivo four pap; rs. They can leave seven names unerased, or any less number that they please, provided that all are not struck out; but in no case must more than seven be left, tlmt being the number required to bo elected. If a person is blind or unable to read, the Returning Officer is empowered to read the names of the candidates on the voting payer, and strike out such candidates as tlie voter may desire. To entitle a person to vote he must be on the Paliiatua Riding roll as an owner or occupier of property within the town district. At the present time last year's riding roll is in force, and this by no means represents the voting power of tlio Town District, but it is expected that the new roll will be in tlie bands of the Road Board before the election, which should ii elude tho names of all who are omitted in tiio one now in fcrce. Wi; publish in another column a portion of a most remarkable speech delivered by Captain Russell on the Loan Bill in the House. It is quite evident from the absurdity of some of the statements that the struggling bush settler need expect very little ut tlie hands of town members, ami the speech in question may be taken as a sample of the gross ignorance manifested by a majority of our legislators on matters outside of their own electorates. The Forty Mile-Bush, we admit, bears a good name; but because it has been the scene of extensive Government land sales, with Targe areas still to be offered, we are told by Captain Russell that pruspi-rity is the order of the day, anil tbiit “ tin- people are not ill want of money.” W hilst admitting that the full force of tlie depression now so severely felt in the colony has not reached us, yet the absence of ready money is a great drawback to settlement. Captain Russell is advocating the construction of tlie Gorge line as a • tin ;t the continuation of the lino through tlie Porty-Mile-Bush to Woodville, and he perhaps may be excused for inventing a few reasons why we should be left out in the cold. The Captain, last session, was credited with being the means of preventing the Gor r , line from being carried on ; and now h appears as its champion. Smarting under the taunts of various lnembi. as to the inconsistency of bis conduct, this terrible military gentleman from Hawke's Bay girds on bis armour and makes a raid on tlie innocent--the settlers of the FortyMile Bu h. We have already given our (.'pinion of the Gorge line, and we will here quote some remarks made by Sir lb i-eil Stout on tho subject, lie said, during the same debate :— •* Does i" t tin- completion of the Gorge line before the Ma.-terton line is finished to Woodville mean the diverting of all the Hawke's Bay traffic to tho line of the M .nawatu Company f —and if you for.' on the cointnictiou of the Gorge li . - i on are simply forcing tlie Government to bay the Manawatu Company's line ut their own price. 1 want the lloum- of that. 1 sat there will be an attempt 1 see it coming—bv the Mh: .i watil Railway people to force the (t i\. iiiiiuii'. to hut that hi • at in

extravagant price: and the sudden completion of the Gorge line is simply giving them a premium for that purpose ; and I ask the House to be careful of that in dealing with this question." In the face of such a powerful argument the Gorge line is to be

made, or attempted ; but the attempt will be none tlie less expensive to the colony, and whilst experiments are being tried and valuable public money

wasted in endeavouring to make a safe line through the Gorge, railway works in this fertile country must standstill.

Sir Robert Stout no doubt had the desire to stop this elaborate Gorge scheme, but tlie array against him was too strong, and lie was compelled evidently against his own inclination to yield. We will quote the Premier again :— *• As to the Gorge line, about which so much lias been said, we have not asked for sufficient to construct tlio line to Palmerston from Woodville. But we know it must take more than two years to complete that line, looking at the nature of the work, and therefore we have asked for sufficient for two years, and when the two years have passed, another vote will have to Ibe asked for.” Exactly ; at the end of I every two years for the next generation will votes be required for the | completion of tho Gorge line. Just think of it, Captain Russell. Better ; far lmd the money been voted for the completion of the line through the Forty-Mile Bush. The colonial tax--1 payer would have had something for | his money, besides the opening up a vast extent of magnificent country. There are no districts in the colony that require more public expenditure than the bush ; and how Captain Russell can arrive at any other conclusion w’e are at a loss to know.