The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1919. "PUKEKOHE AND PERSISTENCE."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 471, 10 October 1919, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1919. "PUKEKOHE AND PERSISTENCE."

" We nolhina extenuate, nor iH t'r.vv nuaht in malice."

I ! NI>F.k th.' above heading a leading article appeared in THE TIMES of Friday, May :*oth. 1919. the object being to point out what could bp achieved for the town and district if only the residents and public bodies would take a live, active interest in public affairs, and do battle, in season and out, for the needs of the community. The article referred to, and the subsequent ones, particularly the the possibilities of such a happy combination as the Pukekohe Borough Council and the Pukekohe Chamber of Commerce. Resulting" in representations made in the first instance by the Chamber, and backed up by the Council, very ably represented at Wellington recently by the Mayor (Mr C. K. Lawrie), two important proposals are now being realized. The first is the proposed new Courthouse, which, it is authoritatively announced, is to b« built, and the second is the resumption of the stoppage of the express trains at Pukekohe on Sundays. There are pessimistic people who see no good to be gained by well-directed agitation, but such find no place in our regard, and in view of what has already been accomplished by the means advocated by us, and which have always been recognized by progressive men to be effective in a large measure, we consider it timely to reiterate in psrt. The followis an extract from the article referred to:

In recent issues of THE TIMES we published reports describing various projects for the advancement of the town and district. With a view to keeping up interest in these things, we would like, while the iron is hot, lo stress the value of the quality of persistence. We want, tor instance the Auckland-Wel-lington express trains to make Pukekohe ;t stopping place on Sundays ns well as on week-day*. Representations on the matter were made a considerable time ago. but the good old excuse that the cutting out of the Pukekolie stoppage, wa< "a war measure." was trotted out in tnll dress parade. Very well, the war i- over; and again, as was stated in the report of the last meeting of the Pukekohe Chamber of Commerce, representations are being forwarded. This is good, so far as it goes, and it. must he followed up, again and again, by letters, personal interviews and a press campaign, until the desired object is achieved. The foregoing remarks apply *,o the matters of a proposed new police station, telephone facilities, mail services, experimental farm, and other things aimed at. Every person. and every organization interested must bring all their weight to bear, directly or indi recti v. in season and out of season, to attain the desired goals. From press and platform we are constantly being told that we—the people of New Zealand are a democracy. One might state that, to some extent, we are also demagogic. At any rate, the few who agitate the most, and call out the loudest, often get their desires fulfilled, while the staid, easy-going majority are calmly brushed aside. This being so, the majority, would they but make their more just claims heard, loud and long, might reasonably he expected to get their dues more frequently than they do now, as a rule. To achieve success, it is necessary lo hammer away, working and agitating unceasingly, until at last the combined efforts of the community are brought to fruition. Persistence. resource, tact, pushtillness, judicious propaganda in both the local and daily paper*, wise, enterprising guidance, tempered with reasonableness, will smash or circumvent all obstacles. Mm to "ADVANCE Pt'KKKoHK AND DISTRICT."