BOROUGH EMPLOYE’S COMPLAINT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2122, 3 July 1907, Page 2

BOROUGH EMPLOYE’S COMPLAINT.

,At the Borough Council meotmg last night tho following letter was i received from Mr. C. Doohng:~— 1 write to protest agaiij|t the action ot tlio Engineer in discharging me from my work at the stone-crusher. I liavo boon in tho district 20 years, and have boon a Borough ratepayer since tlio amalgamation. I am a married man, with a wife and family I have always tried to "ivc satisfaction in my work, and do not think I have ever given an cause for complaint. If it was necessary to reduce the number of hands employed by tho Council, I think I had letter claim to being kept on than some of the single men who havo been engaged during tho last two or three weeks.. I hope tlio members of the Council will inquire into tlio matter, and, if they find the facts as I have stated., that they will see justice done.” , Tho Mayor sjioko well of the employee named. : Tho Engineer said it was unfortunate, but the Council could not keep all the men on. Someone had to go, and Dooliug was not so good a man as he was 20 yoars ago. Cr. Sawyer said married men should get the preference. The Engineer said that all things being equal married men did get tho ' preference. In this case four men ' were put off at the same time, f Cr. Sheridan said he understood another man had been put on in his ' place. As tho work at the crusher 1 was continuing, it did seem rather

Sawyer said he was informed a single man who had been working at Waihirere was put on. . The Engineer said the men at Waihirere had been on surface work first. Cr. Williams said it was rather hard to force a married man out in this way. . , . . , Cr. Whinray said employers had to keep the best material. Cr. Pettie suggested that the man be informed that the Council would give him employment whenever the opportunity offered. . • . The Engineer: That is what I told him. Cr. Somervell thought the Council I had to rely upon the judgment of the I Engineer and foreman in these matters. The matter dropped without any I motion jieing carried.

PATUTAHI QUARRY.; The Cook County Council notified to the Borough Council last ivi M its willingness to co-operate with the Borough Council in reference to a tramway to Patutahi Quarry. The Borough Council, being the party chiefly interested, was asked to fixa date for a conference between the two bodies, and to be prepared with a practicable scheme for discussion. The Mayor said that so far the Council only knew of 45,000 fxins of stone available at the quarryßefore deciding upon anything it was necessary to obtain authentic information as to the quantity of stone; that could he procured. How far the stone extended had not been ascertained. 1 lii fact, the results in some places had been disappointing, as the papa rose higher than expected Boring was the only way to make a test. Cr. Whinray moved to the effect | that the Borough Engineer and County Engineer eo-operate and make a thorough test. Cr. Sheridan: We can’t appoint their engineer. Cr. Whinray: The County Council I are as much interested in the stone las we are. Put the motion in what I form you like, the result is the same. I The Mayor pointed out that it I would be advisable to secure the coI operation of the County Council from I the start.

A motion asking the County Council to allow their engineer to confer with Mr. Gibbon was carried.

The Engineer was also instructed to prepare, in his spare time, a report on the cost of a tramway-.

LAND HUNGER UP THE COAST. DEMANDS UNSATISFIED. NATIVE LANDS WANTED. Our Waipiro Bay correspondent writes as follows : The land-hunger is not in the least appeased now that the results of the ballots respecting the two sections in this district are made known. Whilst the leasing of these sections may contribute its quota to the population of the coast, tho requirements of local land-seekers are still unsatisfied.

The locking-up of the East Coast Native lands until 1908 lends color to the supposition that other Native land legislation is on the tapis, which will probably not see the light of day until that time arrives.

Naturally, just before the general election is the most opportune time for a new scheme to be brought forward affecting this time-honored question • but to add to tho many Native Band Acts now on the statutes will but add another weight to the hope that already nearly lies dead within us. The time has arrived when compulsory acquisition of Native land should be made the theme of electors throughout the colony. The hundreds of applications for the few sections offered by the Government show us that the towns as well as the outlying districts are full of land-seek-ers. Whilst an Act is in force, and likely to remain so indefinitely, respecting the acquisition by tile Government of large estates already in a state of productiveness, the millions of acres of Native lands now lying idle are, bv comparatively new legislation, protected.- The recommendation of the Commission cannot at any fate at present be guaranteed to alter this state of affairs. The natives of the North Island are naturally anticipating the retention 'of what is still unproductive; and further, anticipate recovering the land that lias already passed into Government hands —presumably because they have seen its possibilities, and are covetous of reaping the reward of the European pioneers. Legislation that will-enforce the use of our waste lands must, it seems, emanate from the minds of other than- Maori representatives in the House —the policy of allowing a man to try his own case must be altered. The interest of the southern members must also be awakened to the necessity of a workable Act being brought forward; and to do this it is necessary that the condition of affairs in tho North Island should be put plainly before the population of the South Island-'by all possible means. A great deal'has been said lately relative to Maoris farming their own lands, and examples of successful farming by Maoris have been quoted in support. The sidelights, however, show a totally different aspect of affairs. The succession of good years which farmers have experienced throughout the country and the high prices obtained for wool and stock, are alone responsible for the success of the few Maori farmers. It is patent to all who are acquainted with Maori farming, that their methods are not calculated to improve the land in moderate areas even under the present favorable conditions ; so that should another cycle Of bad years happen along, the resourcefulness of the average European would probably be found lacking in tho Maori, who would suffer in consequence by the retention of too great an area under his command. However, as long as it is not made too easy to obtain advances from the Government.: for experimental farming by Maoris whilst the land is at tip-top. price, the .retention of a certain amount of land may eventually prove a blessing in disguise. The alteration of the boundaries of the Waiapu electorate will necessitate tho member for Bay of Plenty taking a firm stand when- native affairs are under discussion ; and the candidate who has the courage to adopt a straight-out po]ic.v ; respecting Native lands is.undoubtedly the one who will benefit at the next, election.