The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2025, 9 March 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1907.

There appears to have been a serious mistake made in not electing Mr. W. L. Rees to tlio Harbor Board seeing that the Board finds it necessary to have his counsel and information now • in its dealings with the Consulting Engineer. Whether the presence of Mr. Rees at the meeting yesterday was intended to influence the report of the Engineer or for some other purpose, does not appear at all cloar, and we are quite unable to answer enquiries as to what ho was there for. Wo can only guess that the object of his visit was to relate to Mr. Wilson the history of the harbor schemes ancient and modern; but if that was the only object, surely tlio proper course was for the Board to have instructed its Secretary and staff to supply all necessary details, and then leave Mr. Wilson to say what he thought of the project. The Board met ostensibly to decide whether a meeting should bo arranged between Messrs. Wilson and Marchant, and that might have been done in less than five minutes. It was clearly necessary that it should bo dono before tlio former gentleman could give any indication as to whether lie would approve or disapprove the scheme in pari or in toto; but the moment the sanction for the meeting was given some of the members wanted 'to know what the report was going to be, as if telepathic influences were at work between the engineers switched on, as it were, by tlio authority' for their future conference. The discussion that followed the sanctioning of the conference, the relating of information tjiat had nothing wihfi.tev'er to do with the question from the Engineer’s point of view, and the plying of questions to draw from Mr. Wilson his opinions before he had time to collate his facts or finish his necessary enquiries, were as extraordinary as, they were out of place- The Engineer of course knew his business and refused to be drawn at this stage. Had he given any indication as to what his report was going to be it would be perfectly reasonable to conclude that his opinions were basty ones built upon incomplete information. and the value of his report would be reduced to nil in consequence. But lie is evidently a gentleman who values his reputation as ail Engineer, and will not commit himself to an opinion for or against until he knows the reason why. He has been engaged to report upon a definite scheme ,and the suggestion that that should include what would really amount to a fresh set of projiosals is as absurd as it is unbusinesslike. To expect Mr. Wilson to go round tlie bay looking for a fresh site, as Mr. Marchant has already done, and to complete that work in a couple of days, displayed a curious notion on the part of the member who urged it as % to what should he done at all in connection with the scheme. Indeed it amounts to an admission that he does not yet fully comprehend the necessities of the position, and cannot make up his mind to proceed with the obstruction of any set of plans,'' ’ he is satisfied that a deepep/ ; could not be '’Wle of the bay or some/ x eligible site, \ . veniont, is not/ '~T lt_ ]y, and* ?in

British morcautilo fleet when ships aro built with a draft of ton or twenty fathoms.. How would it do to delay tho mat tor until a dozen onginoorß, including tho genius who suggested it, roportod on tho feasibility of onclosing tho whole bay by running out moles from Young Nick’s Hoad and Tuahino Point to ovorlup ouch otlior, for it could most certainly ho dono, and is moroly a quostion of cost. That would surely cover tho objections of tho mombor and his avarieo for further roports at a thousand pounds apiece. But, soriously, it looks as if there is to ho a system of veiled obstruction carried on in order to delay tho carrying out ol tho present schomo or any modification ot it that tho Consulting Engineer may suggest. Otherwise, wo can see no object in nil this talk about iresli sites, and it behoves tho vast majority of ratepayers who want tho mattar settled once lor all, and that quickly, to ho on tho look-out lor such attempts and bo prepared to moot thorn. We liavo every' confide,nc| that Mr. Marchant’s scheme will fpo found to bo in tho main the right ono, and that if Mr. Wilson can find a gonuino flaw lie will do so, and suggest a remedy. When those two engineers liavo put their heads together and agreed upon a plan in tho liiain, tho ratepayers may rest assured that tlioy will bo quite sale in incurring tho expenditure recommended, notwithstanding what local engineers with self-constituted qualifications may think about it. If those two gentlemen do not agree on the suggested scheme (but of that wo have little misgiving), then the best tiling to ho done is to save all furtljor expenditure on reports on an outer harbor, and divert tlio money to the construction of tlio Haiti wharf and the dredging of the river.

The East Coast cricketers leave for Auckland this morning. Harbor rates unpaid by April Ist will have tlio penalty of 10 per cent, added. The annual meeting of tlio Poverty Bay Hunt . Club will be held this afternoon. Entries for St. Patrick’s Sports oloso with tho secretary, Mr E. Williams, at 9 to-niglit. Tho next sitting of the Supremo Court at Gisborne is fixed for May 13, Mr Justice Donniston presiding. By the Squall, which arrived yesterday morning, a largo consignment of pipes for tho Borough Council’s water scheme came to hand. Mr Wilson, wlio has recently boon visiting' * the district in connection witlr the proposed harbor, expresses himself as very well satisfied with wliat" lie saw of the district. Mr Clias. Buscke, Good’s Buildings, in our advertising columns, offers a number of desirable properties for sale. Bev. C. Griffin’s subjects at Wesley Church tomorrow aro “The Best Growth,” and “Great Sin —Greater Pardon.” Young Mon’s Bible Class in tho afternoon.

Mr H. G. Johnston, district manager for'Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay of the National Mutual Life Asociat'ion, arrives by the steamer this morpiiig.

The latest addition to the Telepi,one Exchange is 121 C. Petersen, Palmerston road, and 121 T. R. McCoomb, Palmerston’ road, has been deleted. '

, A sale of: prize poultry will be held by Messrs. Miller and Craig at 11 o’clock this morning. Wyandotte (Pullets, buff, Orpingtons, and Plymouth rocks— all from prize birds—will be offered. A Press Association telegram states that the Attorney-General declares that the payment of the Arbitration Court fines can be enforced or imprisonment iniposetd.

Messrs McLean and Co. notify' town and country properties for sale. The firin’'is also conducting a servants’ registry office.

Mr W. Rowell announces that his billiard rdom is again in full swing. There lias been a thorough renovation of the room, and three tables are available, the utmost attention and civility being guaranteed. There will be great welcome meetings all day to-morrow in connection with the Salvation Army’s local corps, which is now under the command of Adjutant Dickens. On Thursday night there will be a farewell accorded to Bandmaster and Mrs. Sheapard. The annual St. Patrick’s Social is to bo held in His Majesty’s Theatre on the night of Wednesday, March 21st, and as 1 usual should prove a great success.

Messrs Common, Shelton and Co. have acpuired.a quarter acre section in Bright street from Mrs 11. Adair, senr., with a view to extension of their promises in the near future. The section abuts on the firm’s present property, which now extends tlio whole depth of tlio block. Tho now school at Haiti is not yet quite up to tho average anticipated of 150 pupils, hut it is getting on very satisfactorily under the control of Mr Bull, tho headmaster. The average attendance is now- over 140. Parents whose children attend the school are very pleased.

At five minutes past eleven” yesterday morning the firebelll rang out and the fire ‘brigade turned out smartly. The' fire was located in a dwelling-house behind the fire brigade station, but was subdued without the services of the brigade. The damage done was' very slight. The annual contest of the Poverty Bay Rifle Association is to be held at tho Makauri range on Easter Monday. Among the prizes to be competed for will he the'Association Cup, presented by air A. Hutchinson, and won last year by the Gisborne Rifles No. 1 team; also a trophy valued at five guineas, presented by the Hon. J. Carroll. The work of metalling the streets is now proceeding' rapidly, and some really good progressive work is being done; but the question is being freely debated ns to whether it would not be better to delay some of the work in view .of the way in which the streets are necessarily being cut up for the laying' of the water-pipes, though ordinarily -the. metalling would prove very service-; able for the winter.

Adjutant and Mrs Dickens, who have lately assumed command of the Gisborne corps of the Salvation Army, have forwarded the following public; message to us: —“Having been ap-: poined by our leaders to the com-; maud of the local branch of the Salvation Army to succeed your late officers, Ensign and Mrs Slattery, we wish to say we have received our appointment to Gisborne, with much satisfaction; and we shall endeavor to carry on the good work which has been done by our predecessors. Our motto is, to do all we can to bless and cheer all, irrespective of creed oi form. Mrs Dickens and myself come to be your servants for the Master’s sake.

In proposing a vote of thanks to the performers at the concert given by the Gisborne Debating Society ou Thursday evening, Hr. Collins said the concert had been a great success in the face of strong opposition. There had been a strenuous effort of a glaring nature made to stop the concert taking iilace. r -fkis attempt had been made by the Gisborne Borough Council. (Sensation.) The Council had—thrown water-pipes in the water-tables and had thrown up heaps of mullock on tlie footpaths and roads, but—tlie performers had surmounted all the obstacles and got to the concert. (Loud laughter.).

Tho Sonoma loft San Francisco at 5 p.m. on Gth March. “Hippogapliy,” according to the dictionary, is a term applied to people, who eat horso-llesli; hut it is doubtful if tho torm would bo applicable to a local resident wlio was mentioned by ono of his friends in Gladstone road yesterday as having been soon “drinking his horse at tho wator-trougli.” .. After a visit to Gisborne extending from Wednesday last, Mr. Wilson, of tho firm of Goode, Son, and Matthews, who has been hero on harbor mutters, leaves this morning for Auckland, whore ho will moot and confer with Mr Merchant. Before loaving the colony lie will pay a visit to Rotorua.

At the Salvation Army liall tomorrow special welcome mootings will ho conducted by Adjutant, and Mrs ..Dickens, the new commanding officers of tho local corps. A bright and cheerful time is looked forward to. The Adjutant lias dono ovor 24 years’ servico in the Salvation Army, having been in charge of some ol tlio leading corps. Tlioy aro full ol liopo at having a good term at 1 Gisborne. Tho monthly' meeting of tlio Provincial Executive of tho local branch of tho Farmers’ Union was to have been hold yesterday morning, but as only tho two Motu delegates, Messrs Elliott and Hutchinson, and Mr. W. L. Clayton attended, the meeting was adjourned till 2 p.m. At that hour only two persons put in an appearance, and the meeting was adjourned till tho next regular mooting day.

A largo door is being put through the back wall, of the post office for convenience in handling the heavy 7 mails received in Gisborne. When the improvement is effected the mail cart will be able to back just insido tho mail room. Thus the usual transit through two doors will be avoided. At tho same time the mail room will bo enlarged and will occupy the spaco at present used by tho operating room, which, with tho Telephone Exchange, will be located upstairs, a step that has been looked forward to by' both of the lattoi staffs since tho new office was opened.

Among the motions to be dealt with at tho Education meeting on Monday are the following: Mr Morgan: (1) “That tho secretary be instructed to ask tho Gisborne School Committoo for an explanation of statements published. (2) “That a copy of tho Education Act, together with tho Board’s regulations and scholarship regulations bo supplied to each school throughout the district.” (3) “That inspectors classify in order of merit applicants for vacancies for the information of the selection committee.” By Mr McLernon: “That the Board s regulations be referred to a committee to revise and report thereon.” By Mr Barton: “That in tho opinion of the Board it is advisable to place all native schools under the control of Education Boards.” Christchurch Truth indulges ir sarcasm'on the subject of the strike: —The behaviour of the Union olfir cials is not the least amusing part of the whole farce. Of course they don’t want to commit the Unions to the programme of the men. Their eager discussion of the strikers’ acti m is a little too thin. “Don’t put them under the pump —don’t chuck them into the liorsepond; ’f you do yon will be breaking tho law-pray bo careful. We cannot couivouance any such proceedings. At the same time if you persist, of course we will join you, not as Union o.'f’.ias but n* individual sympathisers.” Cf c>t:se certain politicians, Mr. Tommy 'lnylor and Mr. Laurenson, s'v their thanoe of cadging for future votes. It’s very funny to hear them gravely assuring us that these men are uot striking—oh dear, no—they are cuiy withdrawing their inves . coins individually, because they find the said investments don’t pay. Phot *s the kind of “terminological inexactitude we have heard before. Mr. Gladstone, for instance, defended beycottings as “exclusive dealing ; and when the Heathen Chi lee was caught cheating at cards ho pleaded that he was only “correcting the caprices oi fortune.” One feels inch red to say “Oh, tell us a better pne t! an that. But after all, if they drl -it might not be so amusing. At the Police Court yesterday morning, before Messrs B. Johnston and V. Pike, J.P.’s, a first offender, for drunkenness, was dealt with m the usual way. Wliaropapa Tawhiao, charged with being found drunk in Gladstone road, pleaded not guilty. Constable Hancox said ho saw accused lying on tho road drunk and arrested him. Constable Irwin said accused was drunk in his cell half an hour after arrest. He was fined 10s and 2s costs, or in default -18 hours’ imprisonment. A settler charged with being found drunk in Pec) street, was fined 10s and costs. He was further charged with procuring liquor whilst prohibited. This case being beyond the jurisdiction of tho Court, was adjourned pending the Magistrate s leturn. Frank Neill, a carter, pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelly illtreating a horse. Detective Maddern explained that it was not a bad case, that accused had put a collar on a horse which did not fit it, and when spoken to by the police, it was immediately changed. He was fined 10s and is costs. A wliaif laborer appeared to answer an application for maintenance made by his mother in Auckland. He stated that he was unable to continue payments as he only earned from 28s to 30s a week, and he had one child to support. His wife was under an doctor, and would be so for some time; also he was in debt. No order was made.