THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 25, 1908. THE TRUST LANDS TRUST ELECTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9097, 25 May 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 25, 1908. THE TRUST LANDS TRUST ELECTION.

_ « , With the growth of Masterton the importance of the Trust Lands Trust will, also, develop. Efforts are being made to enthuse a little interest into the contest now in progress, but so* far public interest does not appea'r to be greatly aroused. No doubt the candidates themselves ara largely responsible for the extent of the interest that the voters manifest in the ejections. Candidates of sound and progressive views, advanced with tact and energy, will, no doubt, appeal to the electors and gain their support. A pleasing feature of the present contest is that several of the younger men in the community are offering their services to the voters. Public life to the average man engaged in it mean 3 the devotion of his time and ability to the people, and to receive chiefly by way of return criticism tha f , is marvellously akin to abuse. But it is the duty of men to sacrifice themselves for the

public cause, and it can Le said greatly to the credit of the dominion that there are many men in it who do make personal sacrifices for the common weal. To revert to the Trust election, the returning of r.ew candidates would not mean necessarily dissatisfaction with the services of those who might be unseated, though it probably would imply a belief on the part of the voters that the new trustees would prove to be better administrators than those they displaced. However, it is clearly the duty of the electors to disregard any presonal feelings they may have, and to vote for those whom they honestly believe will best promote the welfare of the Trust. The candidates, who retire through effluxion of time, are Messrs T. B. Michell, E. McEwen and J. Hessey, and we shall be surprised if all three are again returned. Mr Michell, one of the shrewdest of the trustees, and whose experience in past yeacs has given him an intimate knowledge of Trust affairs, is, we should say, certain to be returned. Mr E. McEwen, who has had considerable experience on different public bodies, will, also, poll well. Mr J. Hessey, to our mind, a good trustee, has been absent from many meetings, and it is public property that this fact is being used against him by his opponents. It would be well, we think, if Mr Hessey were to make some public announcement as to what hi? movements in the future will probably be. -Of the new candidates, viz., Messrs 0. N. C. Pragnell, W. G. Lamb, S. Kingdon and H. C. Robinson, we regard Mr Pragnell as being easily the strongest. Something, no doubt, depends upon the success of the meeting which Mr Pragnell has arranged for to-night, but we cannot help expressing the opinion that the voters will find a seat for him on the Trust. He is popular, deservedly well respected, and has had experience in the past that should be of benefit to him as a trustee, should he be returned. Mr W. G. Lamb, though not so wellknown as Mr Pragnell, should, also, poll well. Mr S. Kingdon has been a resident of Masterton for many years, and has taken an interest in Trust matters. Mr H. C. Robinson is well-known and has previously been a candidate. The town is to be congratulated upon the nominations, and we are confident that the voters will make a wise selection on election day.