AMALGAMATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 438, 10 June 1902, Page 3

AMALGAMATION.

(To the Editor of the Times.) Sir, —Kindly allow me a little space in your paper to express an opinion in regard to the above subject. I am a recent arrival in Gisborne, and have taken up my residence in tho suburbs, a step which I have now much cause to regret, for the reason that the road to my home is the worst that I ever had to travel. The footpath, if such it can bo called, is overgrown with grass and weeds, the latter in many cases entirely obscuring tho pedestrians from view of persons on the main road. There are no such things as watertabies or culverts, and what is worse there is no light to enable one to select the more solid spots. Last evening I had a series of mishaps. First I sustained a severe fall in stepping from the so-called path to what I thought was the road, and in picking myself up I floundered knee-deep into mud and slush. For a few minutes I was, metaphorically speaking, “ all at sea,” but after making several groat efforts to extrioate myself I succeeded in doing so only to find myself in a ditch containing a couple of feet of water. Had therobeen enough depth I undoubtedlymust have been drowned, but that evidently was not the kind of death that fate has in store for me. After getting ashore 1 struggled through the growth of bush on to the path, and finally returned to my home. The plight that I was in seemed to afford endless amusement to the members of my family, although I could not see where tho joke came in. Surely the local bodies interested can supply the residents of the suburbs with better footpaths, and at least give them a light at each corner. I am informed by my neighbors that things are not likely to improve until we amalgamate with the Borough, and if that be so I would urge every resident to do all in his power to remove the obstacles that at present stand in the way of amalgamation. I have made up my mind that unless the suburbs join with the Borough before next winter that tho former will be one resident short.—l am, etc., Ex-Cityitb.