WAIROA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3602, 27 January 1883, Page 3

WAIROA.

[from our own correspondent.] January 25, 1883. At last! The Atkinsou-n'w-Rollcston-r«>M-Whitaker and Co., Ministry have one weak point at least—they arc not proof against log-rolling. They are diplomats of the first water with pen, ink, paper, and red-tape, but they can't withstand a public meeting, when its object is to point out to the Government its duty to thinly populated districts. In short, for months the local body has been urging Government to go on with the Gisborne road (for which money has been voted), but they shuffled the question every time, till '' the workingman '' raised his voice, and, lo ! tenders arc called for the first two sections of the road. The late accident at Lockwood's Point has had one good effect, namely, that of drawing attention to the danger of bathing at tliis spot, especially for persons who cannot swim. The jury added a rider to the verdict of accidental death, giving a public caution to the above effect. Mr Poyzer, one of the jurors, offered to head a subscription list to help in erecting- a. permanent and safe bathing place for children, and several other jurors promised their co-operation. Some such steps will need to be taken soon. Only last month two children were very nearly drowned at this spot. Rv the local Post Office I hear a number of private boxes have been received, but where they arc going to be erected the Postmaster-General only knows, for nobody else docs, unless perhaps the postmaster's 8 x 12 fanuly mansion is considered too commodious, aud they are to be erected in his sitting-room—save the mark I If the architect who designed the Wairoa Post Office building Avcrc living I should feel inclined to fancy he was loth to such a chaste structure demolished ;it may have been a " tiling of beauty " in its younger clays, but it is far from being "a joy for ever." Indeed it is now a positive disgrace to the Government.

The editor of your morning contemporary —the Herald —in a late issue has been good enough to publish a sneer at the Clyde Total Abstinence Society, an "inspired" sneer no doubt. The Herald writer states that on a recent occasion the members of the society sat up till a late hour '' discussing tobacco," and wants to know, you know, how much and what brands they discussed. Quite so ; the society in question was formed to discourage the use of intoxicants and tobacco, and to induce if possible the younger members to give up billiards. These are worthy objects of man's ambition, Mr Editor. When we see boys scarcely free of their mother's apron strings lounging in out-of-the-way comers, with a dirty clay pipe in their mouths; when we see boys of twelve years or so playing- billiards with people that call themselves men, then I say it is time for some one to try and bring about an improvement. lam informed by the president of the society that there are over sixty names on the roll—all consistent abstainers, some non-smokers, and many who have given up billiards. The Clyde Total Abstinence Society has already done good work, and it has many friends in the community, so that the Herald's uncalled for sneer will do little harm. At Frasertown on Monday night there were only nine or ten householders present. The following gentlemen were elected as a School Committee : — Messrs J. Coupcr (chairman), Steed, C. Gray, W. Couper, Goldstone, McMurray, and Scrgt. Hackett.