The Daily NEWS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5. HARBOR BOARD ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 10, 5 February 1909, Page 2

The Daily NEWS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5. HARBOR BOARD ELECTION.

Ho much interest was but recently evinced ill il.uboi' iiuiil'd Hi'.uU'i's, particularly in cuuncclioa with the new loan Bill and poll, that the iaU'[)iiycis can scarcely lie expected tu allow uuicli more limn a pei'tunctury iutuivsi in the biennial election tor members oil uav next. It would lie to judge too previously, hu\Yevt>, ior tlie riucp.tyers in the Klthum and Wtratfonl Wuriis, uhcle aluue will be contest*, h;i\'ibctokened a leally live interest ill public matters. When lo vius commendable

spirit is added the personal activity of the candidates, it is quite possible that a good deal of local feeling might be aroused. 11l the new Ellliam Ward. Air. C. A. W ilkinson again opposes Air. Jacob Mavx The position oi the hitter gentleman is in a sense a somewhat peculiar, though straightforward one. Al the bye-election last year, following (lie resignation of -Mr, -McLean as representative oi tile llmveia Ward, ,\lr. .Marx look his stand as an opponent of lurtlier borrowing, and the l!ill, of which .Mr. Wilkinson was a Miong supporter. -Mr. Alarx was elected. Since then, a

few alterations having been made in the draft of the Hill before it was submilicd to Parliament. .Mr. .Marx became tine of ils supporter-. No eyccplioi), of course, can be taken lo .\ir. Marx's position. hi the Stratford Ward. Mr. Jus. Thomson has to meet u loeiuan worthy of hi* sleel iu .Mr. Joseph McCluggage, of W'liangamomona. Mr. Thomson has served the ralepa\ei\s of his district on almost e»ery local body to which he

could be appointed, and to the best o't his ability has, no doubt, served his district well. Of late, the inherent conservatism of his nature, however, seems to have got the upper hand, and a dogged determination to oppose everything that involves an expenditure of money for the development ui t.w port seems to be his absorbing Won of duly. In this respect Mr. Thomson is ploughing a lonely furrow at the llavlmr Hoard'

table; were it otherwise, the progressive ideiss of SI rat ford would c'Tlainly have little hope of materialising. The fact, however, that every member of the P»oard, with the notable exception of Mr. Thomson, has shown a keen desire to further the development of the port in accordance wilh the almost unanimous mandate of the ratepayers given at the late poll, has prevented any avoidable block to progress. In no other way has Stratford's voice in of harbor extension, according to the policy outlined under the limit, been represented at the Hoard's table. Jn saying this, we

do not for a moment question Mr. Thomson's sinccrily and honesty of purpose. Thai, however, is not the point. Mr. Thomson as a moinlH>r of the Hoard, on Iho broader questions of policy should give expression io the views as representing the majority of his doctors' opinions, and not obtrude at nil times his personal opinion in opposition to that of opinion in his (listret. hi the circumstances it is not to be wondered tit that Mr. Thomson has to defend his scat on the Hoard against a nominee of,those who favor speedy development of the port-. We do not think a hotter choice than that of Mr. MeOluggage could have been made. As a business man, inter-

ested also in the land, and above all a '• back-blocker," he represents the very class with whose interests the future of the port is closely bound. Mr. MeCluggag'e's qualifications for the office need no enlarging upon by u«. and arc froelv recognised throughout the length and breadth of his district. To our way of thinking, his principal roeomniendatkm with the ratepayers is that his is a policy of advancement, with whrcl) public opinion in the Stratford Ward ha* j-hown itself lo be in full accord. Mr Thomson's policy is too "canny" (as he 'himself puts it) for the<-'e days f)t keen competition. We recojrnUe that Mr. Thomson will reioivo solid support from the district ho has represented in

many capacities so long, hut we think, in view <>f his luetics at tile Board table of late. I hat he cannot hope to he returned for another term. With the exception of these two wards, the retiring members have all been re-elected. with the addition of Mr. T. I'. Wells (a shrewd and successful farmer) as represent alive of Ihe new Waimate Ward. There is n great deal of work ahead of the new Board, ami business men are specially wanted to cope thoroughly and expeditiously with tin: oevolopmonl that must ensue during the next two years.