Bread and Circuses.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 418, 17 May 1902, Page 3

Bread and Circuses.

(To the Editor of the Times ) la Sib,— lt would seom not unreasonable to suggest that owing to the overplus of ’ amusements in which the country has indulged during the last twelve months there may be in the near future some defioiency in the means of living for a considerable number of people in this district. J the circuses first. During the last t) week or two how much solid oasb has been exported from Gisborne for theatrical shows ? Cash for which many tradesmen j. would have been pleased to furnish receipted accounts. Then there was the j. company of which H.R.H., eto., etc., was the star. It took a year’s wages for a thousand men to square tho bill for that, £ and if anyone can point out one hundred thousand farthings’ worth of benefit the general public has derived from that visit he would supply a much-felt want by de- j daring the sarno. The accounts for the . contingent business are notjD yet, but for j that expenditure we have at least the o satisfaction of sending the Premier homo J in a blaze of glory. Now Parliament pro- . poses to pass legislation authorising public bodies to expend some of their rates in squibs and crackers to celebrate a spectacular performance which seems somewhat out of date in this twentieth century. As for those for whom the deficiency of bread will be most serious, there are first those who depend largely on public works for their employment; secondly, those back block settles to whom better or worso road communication means the differenee between success or failure ; and, thirdly, those tradesmen who depend on the other olasses for a large portion of their business profits. Public works in this district are almost at a standstill. A few men are at work on the railway, but, as for roads,|tbe bottom seems to have dropped right out. The Road Department has five or six men employed where two hundred would be few enough to maintain ’ work already done, and to make an aver- ' aoe year’s showing on the new lines, and the County Council admit that they cannot pay even the miserably few surfacee men they usually employ. There may be .. no actual want, but it is safe to say that e there are at present onough first-class workers in town—living either on their :r savings or credit—to turn out a mile of s new road every week, instead of wearing is out the Gisborne pavements. The winter id is only just beginning, but before it is d over a good many people will realize that is’, however desirable pr ' lvate Id amusement may be, that what is of most =d vital importance, to them, is that they er should have the means of earning a periy manent and adequate supply of .tucker.— b- I am, etc., C 1 *' w