WORTHY WORK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20075, 23 October 1939, Page 6

WORTHY WORK

“DESERVES SUPPORT” WAIKANAE MARINE DRIVE APPEAL BY THE MAYOR TRIBUTES PAID TO CLUB “The few men and women on the executive of the Gisborne ThirtyThousand Club deserve the hearty co-operation and support of the people of Gisborne,” said the Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., at a function yesterday afternoon, when he performed the ceremony of turning the first sod in the construction of the centennial marine drive that will eventually skirt the shore of the Waikanae and Muriwai beaches from Grey street to the mouth of the Waipaoa River.

There was a representative attendance of the public, despite the threatening weather. After the ceremony the visitors to the beach took an opportunity of viewing the work carried out during the past few months in improving the surroundings on the beach.

Mr. Coleman congratulated the Thirty-Thousand Club on its public spirit, enterprise and energy. The club had. been alive for the past two or three years and had sponsored many functions and works.

“Its latest enterprise is, to my mind, the best effort yet,” continued Mr. Coleman. “The marine drive for Gisborne has been the dream of some of your citizens for some years, and now is becoming a reality. The drive will be second to none in New Zealand and will be seven miles long when completed.” Not Starting Grey Street. The reason the club was not starting the work at Grey street was that there were several difficulties, the main one being , the lack of finance, said His Worship. The road from that end would have to be constructed in a position where it would be in danger from erosion by high seas, and a costly concrete protective wall would be required that was not at present within the reach of the club. However, when the preliminary work had fyeen carried out on the present drive Mr. Coleman was sure that the Gisborne people would feel so proud of the scheme that they would provide the necessary finance to complete the project.

In view of the fact that the club could not start at the Grey street end it was forced to take the town end of the drive from the end of Salisbury road, and there were sections in key positions there that had to be secured before a start could be made with the work. The Gisborne Harbour Board had given valuable assistance in allowing free access through the beacon light sections. Mrs. FI. G. Smith and Mr. H. Tucker met the club generously by selling their properties well under market value. Two former borough councillors, Messrs. W. Barrington Miller and R. J. Kerridge, showed that they still had the interests of the district at heart by giving large donations that made possible the purchase of the land. List of Donations. Praise was due also the Gisborne Repertory Society for a donation from a benefit entertainment, the Gisborne Borough Council, and the convener of the committee. Mr. A. J; Cox, who was responsible for the raising of a substantial fund.

The following donations, said Mr Coleman, had been received:—

R. J. Kerridge, £150; Gisborne Borough Council, £135; W. Barrington Miller. £100: Gisborne and District Beautifying Society, £25; Gisborne Thirty-Thousand Club, £25; Gisborne Repertory Society, £2O 8s 8d; A. J Cox, £l3 13s; M. B. Mander, £6; W. E. Mcllwaine, £6; F. Mclntosh, £6; H W. Barker, £3; R. Barker, £3; W. R. Barker, £3; F. H. Forge, £2 2s; J McKinley, £2 2s; M. Ormond Interest Bond (W. B. Miller), £2; F. R. Ball. £1 Is: Geo. Crawshaw, £1 Is; G. K. Crawshaw, £1 Is; Adair Brothers, £1 ts; F. Neill, £1 Is; P. W. Bushnell. £1 Is; A. Owen, £1 Is; A. W. J. Mann, £1 Is; J. McKee, £1; H. R. Kendon. £1; G. D. Taylor, 10s 6d; subsidy from Government on £378 4s 2d, £126 Is 4d; total. £639 5s Gd. Native Owners Thanked. His Worship pointed out that the first section of the drive to be completed would be as far as Stanley road, with a later extension to the abattoirs, and then finally on to the mouth of the Waipaoa River. Mr. Coleman took the opportunity of extending his thanks to the native property owners of the district that embraced the final section of the drive to the mouth of the river for donating three parts of the land to the club. Negotiations were being continued and the committee in charge of the scheme had every reason to expect that they would conclude satisfactorily. The Mayor said that Gisborne had not been kind to itself, and he had always felt envious when he read of the large donations that had been given in other towns by their citizens. Gisborne coiild pride herself on her beaches, as they were the subject of admiration by all visitors to the district. “Remember Gisborne.” “I know it is one of the worst times to make an appeal for funds, but in your giving, remember Gisborne,” he concluded.

The chairman of the Cook County Council. Mr. W. G. Sherratt, added his congratulations to the ThirtyThousand Club and said that he believed that the drive in Gisborne would be an improvement on Napier’s parade. If the Gisborne people put their backs into the work he considered that the drive could be completed in five years, and then they would have something more to be proud to show visitors.

The part the Bay played in New Zealand's early history when Captain Cook dropped anchor 170 years ago was mentioned by the chairman of the Gisborne Harbour Board, Mi*. A. J. Nicol. It should be the endeavour of the people to provide Gisborne with a drive on the foreshore that would be as good or better than that at Napier, although the latter town had a start of 50 years with its scheme.

“The club has undertaken the construction of the centennial drive and the success it has attained so far by gaining the confidence of the public

and securing this strip of land proves what can be done by those who are imbued with public spirit and willing to give their time and money for the benefit of the community," he said.

The ceremony was then completed by Mr. Coleman.

Prior- to the opening of the addresses the crowd was entertained by a variety of selections played by the W.E.C.M.R. Band.