GISBORNE MATTERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 526, 24 September 1902, Page 2

GISBORNE MATTERS.

RUSSELL DENOUNCES OUR RAIL WAY. j Special to Times. | Wellington, last night. Among the Gisbornites at present in Wellington are Councillors Miller and Jones and Mr C. J. Parker. The latter represents the Farmers’ Union, to give evidence before the Meat Export Committee.

Sir Joseph Ward, in replying to a criticism in the House this afternoon, said that a portion of the new loan iiad been placed in the colony at 3-A per cent. ■ Sir William Russell, in urging that a main arterial road should be constructed in the district between Opotiki and Tongoio, referred to £2OOO on the Estimates for the Gisborne-Karaka railway, saying it would be far better if spent on roads than on a railway which when finished will be entirely useless to anybody. Mr Monk defended the railway, saying that he believed it very necessary work, and that he had heard it passed through splendid country. Later. —During the discussion on the first item of the Public Works Estimates to-day Sir William Russell took occasion to refer to the vote of £20,000 for the Gisborne-Karaka railway, and said that the money would have been better spent in opening up the main road between Opotiki and Gisborne, and he hoped that provision would be made for this 011 the Supplementary Estimates. The money would have been better spent in opening up roads on the East Coast. The Hon. J. Carroll asked Sir William Russell which was the road he wanted opened up. Sir Wm. Russell said the main road, to open up the country. Mr R. Thompson objected to the money being spent to open up roads to native lands, unless the lands were loaded to pay I the costs, the same as European land.