The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1882. CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1036, 28 November 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1882. CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.

We are extremely glad to notice from the report of the last meeting of the County Council that Mr Mendelson has changed his mind, and is now in favor of the proposal to construct water works for the irrigation of the Waitohi aud Orari plains. When this proposal was at first brought forward by Mr John Talbot, Mr Mendelson intimated his intention of opposing it " tooth and nail," but, like a wise man, he has thought better of it, and at the last meeting seconded, the resolution inviting engineers to tender for the work of surveying the Waitohi district with the view of irrigating it. Nothing could give us greater pleasure than to see Mr Mendelson taking up the popular side of any question. We feel pretty well sure that he invariably means well, and is led away into error by his own impulsiveness more than by any desire to impede progress. He rushes at things without any previous generally succeeds im getting into a a mess. It was in this way, no doubt, he fell into the error of saying that he would oppose the irrigation scheme " tooth and nail," probably, that the whole county would be rated for it ; but, when on subsequent enquiry lie found that only the districts benefitted would have to par, he felt agreeable to the proposal. Bis opposition to it in the beginning must have been the result of thoughtelssness, and it ought now to be placed to his credit that he has not stuck obstinately to his determination of opposing the scheme, but has, on mature consideration, changed his opinion. Under certain circumstances it is creditable for a man to change hi*' opinion. The only persons who are said never to change thenopinions are fools, and the reason they do not do so is because they never have an opinion to change. We have great hopes that we shall one day be able to change our opinion of Mr Mendelson, and that he will yet make his name revered in this town. The present offers to him the best opportunity he will ever hare. There is now a crisis in the history ofTemuka. It is just getting its name up, and to become a properous place it wants only a fraternal ivii'il to be awakened up, tlut would cement its inhabitants together, anil induce them to work hand in hand. There are various ways of doing this, but the most effectual way is to keep the trade in the town. Owners of house property ought to think of this. Houses that wore let for 25s a tew years ago can now be got for 15s. What has done this ? Who, or what, has destroyed the town in this way ? Every town in the colony is going ahead except Teuiuka, and certainly there must be : something impeding its progress, for there is not in New Zealand a spot with which nature has been more liberal. Geraldine has changed greatly for the better during ' the last twelve months. Several new shops and houses have been erected in ifc, and there is not one of them empty. It has a far more prosperous look about it than this town. Now the question is, Are owners of house property in this town going to sit down and see the result of their year's of labor becoming more and more worthless every day ? Cannot they investigate the problem

and try to ascertain the exact cause ol the decadence, and when they have satisfied themselves on that point combine together for the remoral of the impediment to progress. If want of unity has ruined the town, join in everything that advances the town. Some sort of a local body would be a great help in this direction. We believe that there is not the requisite number ot houses in this town to form a borough, but if it were brought under the Town Boards Act of 1881, it would do just as well, only that we would have nobody whom we could address as His Worship the Mayor. In all other ] respects a Town Board could do as much good as a Borough Council, but in our opinion the best thing it could do would be to bring a few of the more prominent townspeople into more frequent intercourse. We have done our best in every way to arouse the people of this town to the necessity of doing something that would keep the town from going to ruin altogether, but cannot say thac our words have had much effect. Neither have the townspeople recognised our efforts in that direction. This paper was we, believe, better supported by the townspeople, as far as advertising is concerned, before we took possession of it than it is present, although it is ten times more valuable as an advertising medium now than it was then. Besides, the paper is sparing no pains to advance the district, and that ought to be considered by the people. But they wil* not support this paper nor anything els<*; they will stick to the " penny wise and pound foolish policy," and they have the result of it staring them in the face. If Mr Mendelson were to take the lead in an endeavor to advance this town we have very little doubt but that others would follow him, and it is the hope that as he has for once taken the popular side ho will do so in future, that has led us to notice the change in his opinion with regard to the irrigation scheme. It is never too late to mend, and if he were to try now he would very soon regain his prestige, and be able to do good. Let us hope that he will do so,

THI IRRIGATION OF THE PLAINS. We are glad to notice that the Gcraldine County Council has taken a practical step in the direction of irrigating the Waitohi plains. At the last meeting of the Council a resolution was carried calling for tenders for the survey of the Waitohi district so as to ascertain the the probable cost of the work, and it may, therefore, be inferred that the project has already been set on foot. The Council has never done any good since its institution. The Counties Act has, in fact, been almost a dead letter in this district, and it is pleasing to find that at last the members have began to realise that they have duties to perform, and that the/ mean to perform them. The irrigation of the plains is certainly the most important question the Council has ever discussed. A correspondent at Seafield writes to the Ashburton Guardian : 'Twelve months ago there was great scarcity of water on the plains, but now it is quite refreshing to see the streams of water (thanks to the County Council) meandering through the country. Occasionally, too, some fish are noticed in the races. The other day as Mr Hampton vras drawing water from the stream running close by his house he was surprised to find a trout of about five inches in length in the bucket he was using.' The residents of Seafisld are jubilant over the waterworks scheme instituted by the County Council, and no doubt it will be of untold benefit to the people during the ensuing summer.

Seafielcl is about twenty miles, if not more, distant from the head of the Ashburton water-works ; the course over which the water has to travel is, as every one knows, very light land, with a bottom of giavel only 18in from the surface in many places, and yet the beneficial effect of the water-races has been felt there. What will be its effects in a few years hence? It will simply be incalculable, and if a similar system is adopted in this district it will considerably increase the value of lan.l, and change the aspect of the country altogether. The people of Waitohi have taken time by the forelock, and petitioned the Council to perform the work. The people of the Orari district ought to bestir themselvas also, and send in another petition, as the Council will, we believe, undertake the work only at the request of the ratepayers. If the Orari people, therefore, do not bother about the matter they cannot exjxct the Council to force the work upon them, but if they adopt the same course as the Waitohi people they will no doubt have the same privileges extended to them. It is only fair to say that the credit of bringing forward the question is due to Mr Talbot, and if it is carried out, as we trust it will, a day will come when every farmer in the district will owe a debt of gratitude to him,