The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1912. AN IMPORTANT PROPOSAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 20, 16 September 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1912. AN IMPORTANT PROPOSAL.

Under direction from the Stratford County Council, Mr E. C. Robinson, County Engineer, is approaching tin local bodies in Taranaki with reference to a proposal to establish concrete pipe manufacturing works in the Taranaki district. Mr Robinson states that at present such pipes are very expensive owing to the heavy freight charges, in the case of the Stratford County amounting to over 30 per cent, of the total cost of pipes. It is thought that were the local bodies in the district to combine and erect a pipe-making plant in a suitable locality, such freight charges would be to a great extent eliminated, whilst at the same time there would be a demand for a sufficient quantity of pipes to ensure cheap manufacture of same. Mr Robinson also says: "J am aware that a private company is considering the advisability of starting operations at Waitara, and is also circularising local bodies, but it is hardly safe at this juncture to depend on more definite steps being taken. My Council would therefore be glad to know your views on the matter prior to taking further action." Nothing in detail, of course, has yet been entered into, until the views of the local bodies approached have been ascertained, and so far simply the broad question is touched upon. The fact that a private company is seriously contemplating commencing operations seems to point conclusively to the fact that the scheme in question is commercially sound. So far as the Stratford County is concerned, wo understand that should the Company referred to take definite steps to establish works for such a purpose as indicated in Mr Robinson's letter, the desired end will, to a great extent, have been attained—providing, of course, the company's prices are reasonable and the article supplied is satisfactory from all points of view. Still, at the present time it would be unsafe to depend too much on the, as yet, rather indefinite proposals of the Company in question, ami local bodies would therefore do well to go carefully into this matter. The point at issue is that such works as contemplated are absolutely necessary to Taranaki in order to avoid the very heavy freight charges which public bodies (and private users for that matter) are now called upon to pay.

THE NEW SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS

At the Eugenics Congress recently held in London, Professor S. G. Smith, of Minnesota University, referred to the new social consciousness, which, be said, Has indicated, first by the larger powers and duties assumed by tlw State; and, secondly, by the new sens,' of social solidarity affecting persons arcl groups of persons within the St.i'v?. The exclusion from parenthood of'such wards of the State as the feeble-m-iij-

ed, the insane, and the pauper, i.nd gone beyond debate; and for all tli.il were legally excluded from parentnuod custodial care was required. !'l;«."c was need to develop a new ethical sense of the individual in regard to his own relations to the socu-1 There were not yet sufficient facts to establish a definite relation between physical fitness and social efficiency. Coming to deal with the ignorance of parents and the delects of children, Professor Smith contended that, the State having invaded the home and having set standards, both physical and moral, for the family, it was its duty to secure the proper physical environment for the home. It was a municipal problem; it was a problem of public health, and the whole movement looked to the triumph of a vital democracy, which was more important than either political or industrial democracy.

THE EGMONT ELECTION.

Probably no election in which the Eltham district has taken an active part has excited so much interest for many years past as the present Egmont byeelection contest is doing. The meeting this evening in the Eltham Town Hall promises to be a great gathering, when Mr Wilkinson gives his last word before the battle. Both candidates have had some good meetings, and though Mr Wilkinson opened his campaign with the disadvantage of a section of his party annoyed that preference had not been given to Mr Dive, that feeling has quite disappeared, and he has made his convincing personality and sound commonsense felt whereever he has spoken. Even those who oppose him must admit his thorough consistency and soundly liberal views. So far as political platforms, however, are concerned, there seems little difference between the candidates, for we have even seen Mr Astbury announced as a "staunch freeholder!" The election accordingly is likely to be fought out to some extent on personal grounds, but there ought not to be much doubt as to the result. As a contemporary rather neatly puts it: "There is no earthly reason why the good Liberals of the district should not vote for-Mr Astbury or Mr Wilkinson without violating their principles." The "good Conservatives"-—if Egmont harbours any such out-of-date oldtimers—are in quite another boat: they are not likely to split their forces!

THE TITANIC REPORT.

The London "Times" in a leading article on the report of the loss of the Titanic, demurs to the form of works used in the finding "due to colli*s'Ou 'with an iceberg'brought about by'tee excessive speed at which the ship \>a* being navigated," and argues that.no (matter at what speed the ship was proceeding there could have boon no collision had there been no ice there to collide with. More important is the question of the look-out, and the "Times" expresses satisfaction thai the Court itself attaches great importance to this and finds that a good aiid proper look-out was not kept and that in the circumstances an extra look-out should have been placed. "We are not pointing out these considerations in order to suggest that the speed of the Titanic was not excessive and that the Court is wrong in its' -conclusions, but to correct the impression ed by the terms of the rinding, which will be quoted all over the world tl at speed was the only factor. What thy Court obviously means is that excessive speed was the chief contributory cause, and that a collision might have been avoided if the speed had been reduced. So it might also if a better look-out had been kept according to the report, and it ,seems to us the more necessary to avoid stifling that lesson by laying all the stress on speed, because reduction of speed would not save a ship if a bad look-out were kept, and to allow slowing down to be regarded as an excuse for carelessness in the other respect would be most dangerous. Moreover, the words 'excessive' and 'moderate' are too vague to be of much practical value. To the Mauretania eighteen knots is no doubt extremely moderate, though unattainable to most ships that plough the sea. If moderation is detenu mod as it usually is by the steamer's capacity and merely means a redaction from full speed then it bearsjio relation to the problem of safety J The important condition is that there should he time to avoid an object in course after sighting it, and obviously this will vary with circumstances and the efficiency of the look-out."