OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 May 1939, Page 9

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS (To the Editor.) Sir.—On reading the numerous letters appearing in your paper lately relating to the attitude taken by the Borough Council in respect to putting down pedestrian crossings in Masterton. I notice every one of your correspondents blames the council as a whole. That should not be, as some three years ago I brought this matter before the meeting and I got only one supporter, Councillor Gardner. Some four or five months ago, at the request of quite a number of residents, I again moved that these crossings be put down at the Post Office, Perry Street and Jackson Street. But immediately on my rising and moving the motion, the Mayor interjected and made it quite plain to all the councillors that in his opinion they were not wanted and the motion was lost by 8 to 4. A month later I moved another motion to get the word “School” written on the street in two-foot letters north and south of the Central School, and this I lost, if my memory serves me right, by the casting vote of the Mayor. During the following month, Inspector McGregor went to this school and gave the children a lesson on “How to cross the road on foot and on bicycles.” The Central School Committee wrote thanking the council for the services of its inspector and stated it hoped the council could see its way clear to paint the word “School” on the road as I had suggested. I moved that the committee’s request be acceded to and this . was seconded by Councillor Ninnes, provided I included the Lansdowne School. This I agreed to and stated that I meant it to apply to every school. This time my motion was carried unanimously. Even the Mayor voted with me. Strange, isn’t it? As regards the remarks by Mr Stringer when visiting Masterton. pointing out how Masterton lacked these crossings, I myself always welcome any suggestion from any visitor that is likely to be of any benefit to our town and I personally think that Mr Stringer was within his rights as an inspector of traffic to point out where the council was lax in respect to street crossings. The Central School Committee wrote to the Works Committee asking for one crossing to be put down from the Central School corner across Queen Street to the Service Station, but the Works Committee recommended to the council that no action be taken in the matter and that the council could not see its way clear to depart from its previous decision. I stated then that I would have liked the council to do something in the matter, as if it' saved only one child from serious injury or death it would be well worth while. I consider that if the council considers it necessary to send its inspector to the schools occasionally to teach the children how to cross the road, then I think it is essential that it should place the crossings. As I have stated, it is some three years since I first brought this matter before the council, so I think if I peg away at it for another three years I might be able to get my motion through.— Yours, etc., ROBT. RUSSELL (Councillor.) Masterton, May 23.

INCREASED PRICE OF MILK (To the Editor.) Sir—l have been wondering why the people of Masterton and also the farmer who produces the milk, had not said a word about the milk and cream prices being increased by the milk vendors till they get 100 per cent profit. The farmer gets Is 2d per gallon for milk and Ils 6d per gallon for cream, and has cows to replace in his herd at an average cost of £lO 10s per cow and hay to buy at £6 10s per ton, besides other feed and expenses for which he has received 2d per gallon for milk and 2s 6d per gallon for cream, as an increase on the former, prices of Is a gallon for milk and 9s a gallon for cream. That is 'all the extra the farmer gets for all his extra costs for cows, feed and worry and hard work, top-dressing, etc. But the milk vendor gets in a van which does about 30 miles per gallon of petrol and goes to the farm and ■ picks up his supply of milk which is 'about 60 gallons of milk to each vendor per day and delivers it to the people of Masterton, but the milk vendor sells the milk for 7d per quart, so that he gets 2s 4d per gallon for milk and about £1 per gallon for cream, just double what he gives to the man who does the hard work to produce the milk and cream. The average milk vendor covers about. 40 miles at the most per day for his van. That is roughly 5s per day for petrol and oil. Boys’ wages to deliver the milk, which are mostly school boys, would be about £2 per week average. So I cannot see any extra costs the milk vendor has, for he has no extra work, but he is making all of the profit where the farmer should get the extra, not the milk vendor, if any extra is needed. Now, Sir. I for one think the milk vendor is unjustified in robbing the farmer and the town people as a whole and I hope that some of these milk vendors can show me or the people of Masterton some of their extra costs they are involved as compared with the farmer who produces the milk for them. —Thanking you for your valuable space, I am, etc., “EX-FARMER.” MASTERTON’S BIRTHDAY (To The Editor). Sir. —We residents of Masterton arc greatly indebted to your pioneer contributor, Mr Charles Bannister, for his most informative and interesting series of articles concerning early Masterton history: and it is, therefore, with great reluctance I would like to correct a slight error as to date appearing in his contribution of Saturday last, regarding the birthday of a township whose present day importance might have counted for less than it does only for the stouthearted, fortitude of such of its pioneer personages dead and gone, whose praises he —one of their few surviving number —can so authoratively speak about. A few days ago, at the hands of Councillors Gardner and Russell, the local Municipal Chambers was made the final home of several very interesting and quasi-historical framed photographs of early Masterton inhabitants, including that of the late Mr David Dixon, the text associated therewith being of especial interest in settling any likely dispute, about the exact day and date of the birthday of Masterton. for all time. It reads: — 1 “David Dixon. Born January 20.

1841. Arrived, Wellington. N.Z., in the ship London. May, 1842. Arrived in Mastertcn, May 21. 1854. Left Wellington as a youth of 13 years, on a Monday morning, a member of a party bringing cattle to Masterton. and arrived in Masterton 14 days later Ca Sunday), having walked all the way.’ A few years back (trusting to faulty memory), f wrote a few lines to the erst "Daily Times" fixing May 24 as the date of Masterton’s birthday, only to find some time later the following clipping of the year 1912, still in my possession, which, inter alia, reads: — “Fifty-eight years ago today (May 21, 1912), the first band of bona fide settlers arrived in Masterton. They consisted of the late Mr Michael Dixon. the late Mr John Cole. Mrs Wm. -Adams (then Miss Dixon), and Mr David Dixon (since also deceased). The party left Wellington on foot, driving cattle for settlers who had taken up land in the Masterton Small Farm Block. They were a fortnight on the road, and arrived on Sunday. May 21, 1854. There was merely a

track over theßimutaka. and the party had to ford tne whole of the rivers en route. A few months latei Mi James Wrigley arrived, and was followed by the lorns and Bennington families. Then came the Bentleys, the Joneses, the Chamberlains, the Daggs, the Cranes;rnnd, later, Mr Joseph Masters, M.P.C./after whom the town was named . . . .”

The photo of the late Mr David Dixon is one taken in June. 1923, and with that of others already presented to our local Borough Council just recently, adds greatly to its growingnumber of photographs of early Mayors and Borough Councillors and early day residents of Masterton whose memory is one way and another contributory to its past civic and residential history, and naturally suggests gifts of similar kind to establish a gallery of future historic interest, in the years to come, that will be much appreciated by generations even yet unborn. With best wisnes for a long continuance of Mr Bannister’s articles on early day Masterton history in your

appreciative columns, and apology to him if my own neglect to amend a mistake of equal kind to his (emanating from this original source maybe* in the journal which, in good faith, thought reliance could bo placed without further search of proof, and. to your journal, for allowing this belated correction of it to be made—l am. etc.. —N. J. BENNINGTON. Masterton. May 21.