Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1895. MR. C.A. POWNALL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5188, 22 November 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1895. MR. C.A. POWNALL.

A vt'AH ago, when the candidates—three—now before the public in Maslerton, solicted support, we published concerning one of them, the following statement:—

Mr Pownall's abilities and his obvious liking for public positions, point him out as a man who may bo expected to do good service to tho town in t!ie future. In the past he has been handicapped by certain indiscretions which wo trust may not recur in his mature career. We consider that the burgesses have to thank him for coming forward on tho present occasion, /or placing his views before them, and giving them valuable information. Ho is, however, somewhat out of touch with the burgesses just now, and we do not expect him lo win this election. Still, wo hope to bco him again as our Mayor, somo day, because we believe that lie might fill tho position with honour to himself and advantage to tho town. Tho manner in which he has conducted his present eleotion, is likely to obtain for him many new friends.

I Mr Pownall's platform, published in another column, is one with which wo have some sympathy, and if we bad confidence in tho man, we would not cavil nt the programme. The acquisition of the water-shed on the Tnrat'uas is, we think, au absurdity, as a high pressure water supply can be obtained from tho ltuanmhimga at half the cost of this project, He has not given this question the at-1 teution which it deserves, and he might just as well, for all practical purposes, acquire a water-shed in the mountains of the moon. His other suggestions are, in part, sensible ideas, and deserve consideration, Perhaps, vihcn ho hasexplained them a little more by showing how much money they will cost, and where that money is to come from, we shall bo in a better position to ascertain tiioiv value. Ho has sot a good example by placing definite opinions before the burgesses, and this is to his credit, Our main objection to him is that bis standard of character and conduct is uot sufficiently high to entitle him to the position which he is seeking, Wo are satisfied that although tho Mayoralty of Masterton may be a good thing for Mr Pownall, the Mayoralty of Mr Pownall will not be beneficial to the town, Wo treated Mr Pownall's candidature generously last year, and wo liopoon tho present occasion to deal fairly by him. But what we said then wo still feel bound to repeat. Again we admit his ability, but again we find a difficulty in the handicap which he has placed upon his own back. In the past Mr Pownall has run counter to the moral sentiment of tho public and to tho freedom of tho press, Tho latter means much, bceanso jt involves the freedom of the peopl.o, and j? a very serious consideration, Has past experience beon sufficient to onublo Mr Pownall to correct past errors f We are afraid it has not! At the present time many of the burgesses will understand that our hands are so tied, that we cannot deal as freely aud openly with Mr Pownall's caiuli. datura as wo would wish to do, but we can at least say that, as far as our unbiassed aiid deliberate ppinion goes, it is undesirable for the burgesseß to as yet place Mr Pownall in the position of honour and power which he is seeking,

The qenernl rato of sixpence the Masterton Boron the oiigh is a shilling. horouqii rates. The odds and ends of improvements promised by Mr Pownall as a bait for votes will make the general rate eightcenpenee. Wo are leaving out tho water question and his gas project, which is 'purely and literally "gas." What will the public got in return for the extra sixpence in the pound which it will have to pay? Would not the burgesses, if they had to find another sixpence in the pound, prefer a high pressure water supply to the odds and ouds promised by Mr Pownall. It seoras to us that Mr Pownall's programme is just a trap to catch votes, and as the burgesses would never consent to a sixpenny rate for the objects lie specifics he would never he called upon to redeem his pledges. Under these circumstances ho could, probably with safety, make still bigger pledges, but we expect ho has put down everything he and his friends can think of. If it had been any other man than Mr Pownall wo should have thought that he had picked up his programino in the exhilarating atmosphere of a bar parlour,