The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JANUARY 22, 1902. TO-DAY’S POLL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 320, 22 January 1902, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JANUARY 22, 1902. TO-DAY’S POLL.

To-day it will be for the borough ratepayers to decide the all-important question of water and drainage, and it is to be hoped that all entitled to vote will take advantage of the opportunity to do so. The controversy that has been raging for the past few week 3 has the great advantage that each person should be able to arrive at a fair judgment. In the discussion no one has been spared. The financial aspect has been given much attention by some people, and as for the engineering opinion, it is probable that Mr Mestayer, in his ripened ex-

perience, never had his proposals si keenly challenged before. Wiiethe such handling has shaken faith in Mi Mestayer as an engineer it is hard t( say, but it is most essential that th< ratepayers should have all the facts before them. That they have got those facts in abundance can hardly be gainsaid, and to-day they should be able to cast an intelligent vote based on a matured judgment. The only thing I now needed is for the ratepayers to rally up to the poll. There are few who will not ere this have decided which way they intend to cast thgir votes. "What is needed is that all should go to the poll and then there will be a true test of the feeling of I those who have the deciding of the ! question, Tho opposition to Waihirere as a source has been ably led by Mr Lysnar, Mr Whinray azid others, and certainly no weak point in the Mestayerian armor hits been lost sight of. It is well that this should be so? for the carrying of the Waihirere scheme now means that it will be done with full deliberation, and there can ; be no after cry that the position was not thoroughly understood before

tho votes were oi.'t Tli' re tan be no doubt that Gis'borne is urgently in need of water and drainage; no one lias attempted to argue otherwise, and the real question now is as to whether the advice of Mr Most aver is to be accepted. Hazing fully heard the best case that c.ui bo made out for both sides, the decision now rests with the ratepa} CIS. Again we urge all to record their votes, that the decision may be given all tin) weigiit that can be attached to it.

Today is the anniversary of the death of Quicn Victoria.

Captain Edwin wired at 11.53 a.in. yestenia'': “ Strong to moderate westerly winds; glass rise ; tides moderate.”

Mr T. C. Glass, the Organising Secretary .if the New Zealand Fanners’ Union, leaves for Auckland this morning. TLe monthly meeting of the Hospital Trustees will be held at tho Hospital this evening at T.iiO. Air J. Neagle desires us to explain in regard to the Kanaka sensation, that he did not receive any message indicating that Fletcher was on mischief bent. A large number of people visited Wuihivere yesterday to make a personal inspection of the proposed source of the water supply. The St. Patrick’s Sports are likely to be a greater success than ever this year. A meeting of the general committee is convened for Friday evening, Mr Ho Thiery, one of the Harbor Board’s employees, is at present acting as harbormaster, pending tho meeting of the Board to-morrow afternoon.

Yesterday tho warm weather continued, and again assisted settlers in their harvesting operations and in the burning of bush. As it is some settlers will only get a poor burn. In some cases the wet weather delayed shearing so long that the lambß cannot be sent to market.

The polling to-day in connection with the water and drainage proposals, commences at 9 a.m. and continues until 7 p.m. It is again urged that all should record their votes. The question will be decided on the majority of votes. Thore are 750 voters on the roll.

At a special meeting of the Borough Council last night the usual declaration of Thursday as the day for tho weekly halfholiday was resolved upon, on tho motion of the Mayor seconded by Cr Harding. The Mayor said that it had proved the most suitable day. It was explained at the meeting of the Charitable Aid Board last night that the John Burke who expired at Auckland while under chloroform was formerly of Gisborne, and a bill ngninst the local board, of Jll7 18s 6d, was sent by the Auckland Board.

An accident occurred on the Kaiti yesterday morning, whereby Mrs Erskine’s baker's cart capsized over an embankment in front of Mr Dixon’s residence. In assisting to free the horse, Mr Dixon got his hand badly gashed, being knocked against a barbed wire fence.

The East Coast Mounted Rifles have appointed the City Band as the corps band, and the members of tho band have lately been receiving drill instruction from Sergt.-Major Beere. Last evening the band was out practising marching selections, and it is their intention, as often as possible to have practices of this kind.

The funeral of the late Captain Thomson took place yesterday afternoon, when a large number of the friends and relatives oi the deceased paid their last respects to the departed. The funeral service was condueted by the Rev. J. G. Paterson in a very impressive manner. Tho cortege included over fifty vehicles, besides horsemen.

Tho Thursday competition, under the auspices of the Poverty Bay Cricket

Association, will be continued on Victoria Domain to-morrow afternoon, when City plays Wbataupoko and Kaiti meets West End. The following players will represent Kaiti; Seymour. Porter, Fan-lie, L.yttleton, Crawford, Witty, Graham, Blair, and Gibson (U),

The choir of Weslev Church intend holding a concert at Onnoml to-mor-row evening. As the choir contains a number of good voices, doubtless an excellent programme will he presented. The concert is in aid of the choir funds and therg should be a large attendance.

At the Borough Council meeting last night, Cr Mason said that outlet drains into the Tarulieru river, near the bridge, were offensive, and the cause of much complaint. lie thought they should he carried further out into the" water. It was resolved that the Inspector make a report on the subject. Cr Jones said that the small pipis left by the Maoris were at times very offensive.

A meeting of the Charitable Aid Board was held last evening, when the plans of the proposed additions to the hospital were, submitted. It was resolved that the plans as submitted be approved, to be forwarded to the Hospital Trustees and Dr. MacGregor, the Inspector of Hospitals. Accounts amounting to £296 were passed for payment. Messrs Bright and Harding were appointed the Visiting Committee for the month.

A meeting of delegates of tho local branches of the New Zealand Farmers’ , Union was held yesterday, there being present :—Messrs James Macfarlane, R. H. Mason, secretary (of Gisborne), H. N. Lysnar (WaimMa , W. Hutchinson (Karaka), E, B. Thompson (M.otu), Lissant Clayton (Tiniroto), J. Bayliss (Patutahi), W. L. Spence (Kanaka), C, J Parker (Te r Arai), W. Bell (Gisborne), and Mr Glass, organising secretary. A report is reserved for our next issue, At the meeting of the Borough Council last night Cr Harding referred attention to the rescues from drowning recently 1 effected at the wharf. He thought that the bravery shown by Mr Lowndes should be recognised, but lie was not quite sure as to the proper body to take action. The Mayor stated that the Council was the proper body ; certainly the action of Mr Lowndes should have proper recognition from the Humane Society. It would be best to refer the matter to a committee for enquiry, and to have the propw steps taken. It was resolved that His Worship, Crs Kennedy and Harding bo a committee to enquire into the matter, and if they think proper, refer the matter to the Humane Society. Some indignation was caused by the publication of a paragraph that because a ! little girl had been declared to have fever Dr Finch, the Health Officer, thought on that account it was necessary to come up from Napier. It was explained at the Council Meeting last night by Cr Jones that the doctors now had to report direct to the Health Officer as well as to the Borough Council. The following is the telegram : “ Arrive in Gisborne to-morrow (Wednesday) to enquire into the typhoid case reported by Dr Williams. I hoped that Gisborne was going to escape this year, but the occurrence of only one case is an additional argument, if any is needed, for vigorous sanitary improvement in water supply and drainage at Gisborne.— H. E. Finch, Acting District Health Officer for Hawke’s Bay.”