code: public Properties<PartitionReducer<T>> getOrCreateProperties()
     {
        Node node = childNode.getOrCreate("properties");
        Properties<PartitionReducer<T>> properties = new PropertiesImpl<PartitionReducer<T>>(this, "properties", childNode, node);
        return properties;
     }
docs: If not already created, a new <code>properties</code> element with the given value will be created.
  Otherwise, the existing <code>properties</code> element will be returned.
  @return  a new or existing instance of <code>Properties<PartitionReducer<T>></code>