Wanganui Chronicle, AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19th, 187G.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 3197, 19 October 1876, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle, AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19th, 187G.

The water question, is agitatiug the minds of our community actively at present, aud the continued stoppage of the usual supply is loudly complained of. Those who generally undertake the supervision of such matters are mysteriously reticent when interrogated on the subject, and do not appear to understand, or are unwilling to communicate the real cause of the misadventure. It will be fortuuate indeed that no conflagration should occur during the period wheu, in so far as their practical utility is affected, our mains and hydrants might as well be up in the moon. The, secret, however, appears to 1 have leaked out, and the whole matter may be explained thus : From what we can gather, it would appear that the water was shut off at the stop-valve near the top of St. John's Bush. Hill, that is close to the locality of the lately introduced meter. This course was suggested by the rapidly-declining surface of the lake, as referred to by us yesterday, thus indicating an alarming rate of consumption. And as the evaporation could not be controlled, the householders must perforce suffer. Unfortunately the laws of hydrostatics were not consulted or adhered to when the stop -valves were manipulated, the consequence being that the siphon got charged with air, et hinc illae lachrymae. The next operation is to apply the air-pump, and so obtain a restoration of the suspended communication. Such needless alarm and novel experimentalizing seems to us unnecessary. On behalf of the householders aud those using the water supply for machinery and other purposes, we appeal to the Municipal authorities to interfere and prohibit further theoretical interference, which possibly might be attended with serious results, even as they have hitherto induced entirely unnecessary and very aggravating inconvenience. We anxiously await the promised connection of the Westmere and Virginia Lakes. And here we would incidentally express a hope that Cr Bamber's proposition having reference thereto will not be lost sight of. With reference J,o the offer of the Westmere Lake* wherewith to augment the present supply, embodying also a verbal undertaking to sanction the laying of the mains through the intervening property, at the last meeting of the Borough Council Cr Bamber moved, " That the Mayor having made an offer to connect the Westmere Lake with the Virginia, in order to afford a more permanent water supply, the Council thank him for his offer, and request that he take the necessary steps to convey the right to the Council.' ' Now, it will be admitted on all sides that this suggested preliminary measure is primarily indispensable, and that no time should be permitted to lapse in so arranging the matter that when otherwise prepared, no delays involving the consideration of technical legalities will have to be complained of. With this slight digression we now proceed. When this most obviously desirable consummation shall have been attained, it is to be hoped there will be an end of these cuusele interruptions to our water supply, that those who consume in excess of a stipulated quantity be charged proportionately therefor, and thus we will be enabled to consider our water supply and contingent arrangements incidental thereto as an efficiently admistered concern, capable of control, and adequate to the requirements of the Borough. 4 . The 'Wellington Argus,' whose scurrilous and profane vituperation when referring to the Eev J. Eimslie's lecture, we were reluctantly compelled to notice in a late issue, has again returned to its characteristic and very_ prejudicial and unreassuring mode of journalistic criticism. Offensive personalities are its peculiar theme, and in no element is it more at home than in aspersing and disparaging, either by assertion or inference — the victims being invariably men of superior social standing, of correct morals, unimpeachable in their motives and professions, and consistent members of society. In every case where the ' Argus ' has sought to detract from the reputation of a Minister of the Gospel, has the sinister underlying motive been unmistakably and humiliatingly apparent. Our contemporary adopts the unworthy course of traducing only when capital is to be made of the argument, and when a moral can be pointed or a tale adorned by the people's champion launching forth in empty harangues in defence of their liberties and privileges. The pseudo patriot rallies his forces to the attack, only when the war cry is a moderately popular one. On a former occasion, "the chinks in our social system," had been exposed too publicly, aud the valiant defender of the insulted, though con-science-convicted clement, so-called " society," rails in blind fury at the outspoken and vigorous condemnation of the "person called Elmslic." Now another chance is afforded of airing the very objectionable facon dc parler, with which the editorial vocabulary of the 'Argus' is so abundantly furnished, and at t lie same iiinc of fawning upon aud currying favour with an influential and numerous clement of the community. The liev M-V Towgood's

utterances at the late session of the Anglican Synod, when the question of Temperance Societies was under discussion, furnishes the text for the combined tirade and appeal to the favourable consideration of the bodies alleged to have been aspersed. We do not coincide with Mr Towgood's expressions of opinion in this matter, nor do we approve of persistent attacks levelled on any and every possible occasion against clergymen. In a subsequent issue we shall deal more definitely with the actual questions involved in the discussion in vhich the Uev Mr Towgood took part, and in which, in our opinion, he committed himself, though we hope inadvertently, but on the present occasion we wish to place it on record that we deprecate these frequent personal attacks perpetrated by an unprincipled and uufeeling section of the Press, and directed against, peradventure occasionally mistaken, though otherwise honorable and worthy representatives of the Church. Surely the 'Argus '.can censure without indulging in scurrility, disapprove without having recourse to personalities, reason without endeavouring to prejudge and disparage, and admonish or correct without necessarily being coarse or offensive. We would fain see our contemporary adopt a higher standard of journalistic respectability. o. " In our advertising columns a notification appears to the effect that the fast and favourite passenger steamer Manawatu is advertised for sale by tender. In our issue of July 10th, just after the amalgamation of the Union and N.Z.S.S Companies, we advocated the formation of a company and the purchase of this vessel, than which, none which enters our river is so well adapted thereto, or to the trade required to be undertaken. We need not recapitulate on the present occasion the several and significant arguments which we then adduced in support of our proposition, and with all of which would the majority of our readers entirely coincide. Our commercial standing as a centre of population would be materially enhanced did we possess a steamer owned by a local joint stock company, and which could form the foundation of a future fleet. We recommend the consideration of the matter to the mercantile and shipping element in our community, convinced that there would be wanting neither the enterprise nor the capital to accomplish the undertaking whereby to resuscitate on a permanent and substantial basis our former maritime interests. We again trust that the day is not far distant when Wanganui may boast of its steam navigation company, the ramifications of which should extend far and near, and should be " limited " only in name.