TRUST LANDS TRUST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10248, 26 May 1911, Page 5

TRUST LANDS TRUST.

THE ANNUAL ELECTION

RETURN OF-MESSRS PRAGNELL, MICHELL AM) PAULING.

The annual election of Trustees of the Master!on Trust Lands Trust, to fill the vacancies caused by the retirement of Messrs Pragnell, Michel! and Robinson, took place yesterday. Very little interest was manifested in the election outside those immediately concerned, as is evidenced by the fact that, 01 3415 voters, only 675 went to the poll. The result was declared by the Returning Officer (Mr A. J. Hathaway), about 6.45 p.m., as follows:

Mr 0. N. C. Pragnell, in returning flanks for.the proud position in which he had been placed at the poll, 'stated that the decision of the electors was an endorsement of the policy which the Trust had been following for some years past. He was bound to confess that, from the number of votes recorded, neither he nor Mr Robinson had succeeded in arousing the interest of the public in the affairs of this valuable trust. The poor response made him wonder whether it was worth while a candidate addressing meetings and attempting by other means to quicken interest. The apathy of the public to this splendid endowment was absolutely deplorable. Mr Pragnell also returned thanks on behalf of Mr Michell, who was not present at the declaration of the poll. Mr Pauling returned thanks to the electors for having placed him upon the Trust. Ho had no new schemes to propose, but would do his best to look after the general interests of the town. Mr"H« C. Robinson congratulated the three sticcessful candidates. The election had, he said, been fought in a frien'dly spirit throughout. Hard knocks bad been given, but there had been no hitting below the belt. He could not pretend that he was not sorry at the result of the electiou. He was not sorry on his own account, but "because the efforts of himself and others to arouse an interest in the affairs of the Trust-:"had apparently failed; It could not be said that the electors had expressed a definite opinion upon the proposals he had outlined". It had been- a fight of one man again: t a ticket of three. He had" tried the i experiment of refraining from bringing electors to the poll, because it was un- ! democratic and gave the wealthy man an unfair advantage. His experiment 'was unsuccessful, and the man who had used the motor car to "bring tlie apathetic to the poll had won. He .had wanted to see an institution established in the town, and he hoped that the new Trustees would make this a part of their practical politics in the near future. Ho thanked those whr had recorded their votes nn bis Whi^f.A vote of thanks to the Returning I Officer terminated the proceedings,

Pragnell, Orlando Michell, T. B. Pauling, J. H. Robinson, H. C. L informal Q M >i P H 384 45 26 11 466 377 46 27 15 465 335 44 24 16 419 259 31 26 19 338 1 1