The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11th, 1916. COMMUNITY BUILDING.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 208, 11 October 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11th, 1916. COMMUNITY BUILDING.

(With which is incorporated The Tai hapo Post and Walmarino News.)

There are no men who exact by virtue of their great accomplishments more real appreciation than those we can class in the ranks of Empire-builders, and although those men may add new jewels to the Empire’s crown of more or less brilliancy, Ave believe there arc men w'ho have built up settlement, communities, cities, and nations who cannot well be classed with Empirebuilders, but who may have performed much more valuable services for the Empire to which they belong. In a young country like this a long retrospect presents a mental view of activity, industry, and organisation in which can be noted many outstanding community-builders, who compel an admiration now which in their lifetime we did not realise they had any title to. Wo mentally sec quite an army of heads and shoulders of great colonists conspicuously above their fellows. Most of these men have not passed away inordinately rich in money, but avc could mention several avlio carried with them incalculable riches in the honour and esteem of their fclloAvs. These men’s names arc almost reverenced to-day, Avhile those Avho Avorked entirely for solfisii ends are forgotten, Avith the exception of two or throe whose names arc even now sometimes heard as a jesting byword. Wc have our com-munity-builders to-day AA-hosc tasks seem to be even more difficult than those of the past. Personal interest is something for which many blatant grab-alls Avill sacrifice without hesitation the interests of the community, which probably in their Avorking' out would have brought them even greater

returns. It is such men, who are eager to grasp all that their tiny arms can reach, that are the greatest hindrance to the calculating, organising commun-ity-builder, whose natural desire is to bring into existence a flourishing community; to build up trade,, shipping, industries and manufactures; to connect up territories, and make communications with the furthermost fringe of productive and trade-bringing surroundings as perfect as possible, and so attain to a general increase in the value of all property and land. No method of shortsighted grab can be depended upon for sure and permanent advantage, but with the enrichment of the whole the broadminded organiser knows that his own interests arc secure. It is dangerous to assume that because an individual,or even a newspaper, says something about a centre of settlement that it is necessarily true. The careful man and the conscientious newspaper will avoid such stupidity, which is harmful because it is certain to offend or disgust somebody. The true com-munity-builder, like the Empire-builder, sees that he is on safe ground as he proceeds with his work of organisation in the effecting of his purpose. COMMERCIAL CENTRES. Ton years ago there were men in Palmerston who saw that the town’s close connection with a port was essential if metropolitan aspirations were to be gratified. There were also those who were less far-sighted, who were content in the belief that some unseen force would cause their town to- blossom out to full metropolitan magnificence and power without any expenditure of thought or organisation on their part. The result is that Palmerston today is where it might have boon a decade ago. If it had got control of the Foxton harbour, then which it certainly could have done if it had been insistent enough, there would now have been a fairly flourishing port through which the needs of a very large area of settlement would be flowing in, while the produce from the same area would be ; teeming out. It is doubtful whether Palmerston people have not altogether missed their opportunity. Wanganui is claiming that it is, by virtue of its port, the commercial centre of the Main Trunk country; but this is rather a dangerous claim. When wo express the opinion that Wanganui is too parochial in its efforts to become a great commercial centre, we at the same time cannot help admiring the efforts towards that end that only a few are making that can be classed as commun-ity-building. Wanganui has failed to realise the fact that the day is at hand when East Coast ports will be striving to push their interests as far gcross the •Island as possible. Their arterial roads are now' made, and are in perfect order right up to the boundary of the Rangitikei County, ready for any eventuality. What are the West Coast jiorts doing in this respect? What is Wanganui doing while the roads from East Coast ports arc in readiness right up to within a few miles of Taihapc? Talking about being a commercial centre is not what is needed —Palmerston did that years ago, and “missed the bus.” Before Wanganui can possibly lay claim to being the port of this territory —which naturally it could lay claim to —its capacity to deal with m and out requirements must bo assured and perfected. Palmerston talked of its port ten years ago, and from the Main Trunk’s point of view Wanganui is doing little more than talking now. The harbour must be put in a condition tor the heaviest traffic; biggest ships must be brought to. wharves so that cargo can be handled with facility; the possibility of delay or outrageous charges must have no place, before Wanganui community-builders can even hold their own with a groat part of the Taihape hinterland against East Coast ports. We have no desire to criticise Wanganui methods, but we were struck with a claim made by a Wanganui newspaper yesterday, that it is a fact thau M anganui is now the commercial centre for the Main Trunk Line. The "work some Wanganui men are performing is admirable, but it is viewed from afar as being somewhat cribbed and local, if not actually parochial. In time Wanganui people will realise the importance of more enterprise in drawing trade to their port, which is in danger; Oi failing into other hands. Palmerston failed in this respect ten years ago, which now gives Wanganui its opportunity. It appears to the onlooker that unless an* ganni harbour arrangements <uc brought right up to date, and its people take the map and outline its natural territory, and' then set to work to organise it, and do all other things that will tend to popularise Wanganui as a commercial centre it wall be a long time before nay valid claim in that connection can be fairly made, and all institution's affecting the Wonganui district must be conducted in an open, frank, and liberal-spirited manner if the trend of public feeling is not to go. in some other direction.