THE LOAVES AND FISHES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1674, 15 February 1906, Page 2

THE LOAVES AND FISHES.

HOW BEST TO CATCH THEM,

Gisborne has at last hit upon an original idea. It desires justice done to it, and its loDg and sadly negleoted wants attended to. Various members of our looal bodies have devised sohemos whereby they might get at tbe ear of the Government, but all ia vain. Deputation after deputation to Wellington has been tried with littlo suooesß, and at last it has been decided by the local bodies to take somewhat extreme measures. It is dow proposed by Or Matthews to get tbe Premier and Ministers to the district to attend a banquet run on up-to-date lines, and alter they have lived through that tryiDg ordeal, to ? honorable gentlemen round tbe district , and point out to them its requirements. Wo are eure that it would take some , weeks to properly do this, and the gentlemen promoting the interesting funolion r now in view will be in somewhat of a ? dilemma to know where to take the Mini * sters when they do arrive. Tbe whole oost of the entertainment is to be borne by tbe Borough Council and Cook County Counoil, bo the general body of ratepayers can be assured that they will not be called upon for speoial donations. The members of the Borough Council I were called back from Gladstone road .on Tuesday evening to sanction the expenditure of £SO for the purpose mentioned, | whioh they gladly assented to, as they were all in a harry to get home. It was not so with the County Council yesterday afternoon. They were prepared to weigh the pros and cons of tbe question, and return their verdiot accordingly. Cr Matthews rose with the full importance of the task he had in hand, He 1 assured the Counoil that its affairs were in a critical state; that the treasury bore a t most depleted aspect, and .that tbe only r way to restore the credit of the county was to give a banquet to the Premier and I bis colleagues. He urged upon his fellowI I members that the subject should be coni eidered apart from all political views, that they should all be of tbe .oue mind, and I -that nothing sboald ooour io in any way to mar the success of the soheme. The Borough Council had, he said; contributed £SO, and purely the County Oounoil would , act in a like liberal manner. Cr Wall seconded the resolution. What, he said, vyas the expenditure of a paltry LSO or L6O oompared with tho I LSOQO or L6OOO they were likely to receive from the Premier, J Mr F. Lysnar was also deeply impressed with the business-like naturo of tho proposal. Or H. Kenway was deeply grieved that he bad to raise the old cry. Discounting the .pathetic appeal made by Or Matthews, Cr Keceray sought to show the Council I that tbo ma'ter was entirely bayond their province—in faot, he doubted if ithe Ooun-1 I oil oould legally expend the money in the I manner suggested. He was sorry to see that the Oounoil should have fallen so far I from graoe as to offor a bribe to Ministers, He oould not see what good was likely to come from it. With the Council it was a question of what was right and what was wroDg. It was wrong to do it ; it was right to refuse it. It was not consistent with tbe proper expenditure of the monies of the Council. Such was the decision be arrived at apart from all personal aod po!it ; oal opinions. It was a mat'er of spending money, whioh I they had not got. Or Philip Ken way said that it was abI surd to say that tbe only way for the Government to git a knowledge of -the requirements at the district was by adopting tbe methods suggested by Cr Matthews. The Government had a well equipped I Btaff, including Roads and other Depart- I moots. It was a ridiculous thing to say > that they would have to bring ono parti- 1 cular man to Gisborne before they oould i have their waats attended .to. e Tbo Chairman.; AH tbe Ministers are I 1 invitod. I a Cr Kenway: No one mentions the f others. H

The Chairman.: We know this; tbe knowledge gained by Ministers in visiting tbe distriot will bo useful io them in Parliament.

Cr H. Kpnwiy said the distriot bad been represented by an able and oapable Minister for many yeaie, and Burely be should have been able to put tho needs of the distriot before the Min'siry. Something was sure’y lacking when they had to be* eeeoh tbe Premier’s sot vices.

The Chairman : It is the rule through' out New Z aland.

Cr Eenway : A very poor rule. The Cbairnjan: It is the only way that we can adopt. Cr Matthews.: We have a railway to Te Karoka, and all through this .sort of thing. It is tbe regular practioe in New Z-aland, and also in tbs old oountry, The Prime Minister in England visits tbe different centres.

Or P. T. Kenway: He does not go io places in the country so that they might get something out of them. The Chairman: Those in favor of 11 ohncking” out a sprat to oatoh a macke-

rel say aye. The motion was carried. Or Kenway dissented.