The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, SEPT. 10, 1907. GISBORNE ROADS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2181, 10 September 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, SEPT. 10, 1907. GISBORNE ROADS.

Gisborne has three great necessities —an efficient water supply, sanitary drainage, and good roads. The first will soon bo provided, the second, it is hoped, will follow shortly as a natural sequence, and tho third will come up for consideration at to-night’s meeting of tho Borough Council. Mr. George Grant, C.E., placed before the Councillors a fortnight ago a thoroughly practicable scheme for the supply of road metal from tho Wailiirero quarry. He showed liow a very fair quality of stone could bo obtained at less than a third of tho cost of that which is at present obtained at Patutahi and in ample quantities for the necessities of the Borough. Mr. Grant does not claim that the AVailiirero metal is all that can be desired though it is anticipated a fair proportion will bo thoroughly satisfactory for general purposes. A noteworthy point made in this connection, too, is tho important part played in the matter of formation. If a proper bed bo laid down, to a depth of say 12 inches, and tho difforent layers of metal thoroughly rolled, even an inferior quality of stone would give excellent results. In obtaining stone from AA’aihirero a light lino of rails would bo necessary for a mile and a half to connect with the Government railway, and by this means it could be brought to Gisborne easily and cheaply. It lias been estimated that the Borough, under any proper scheme of road construction, will need at least 20,000 yards annually. This appears to be fatal to the project of obtaining stone from Patutahi, as it is practically an impossibility to obtain anything approaching that quantity unless a line of tram rails is laid down and this would naturally envolve an enormous cost. At last meeting of the Council Mr. Grant adduced reasons that appear to be unanswerable in favor of obtaining metal from AVaihirere and it is extremely significant that he was backed up by practically all the expert evidence available, namely, that of Mr. R. J. Reynolds, G'.E., Colonel AViliter, C.E., and the Borough Engineer. To-night the Council will consider the scheme, and unless some very substantial reasons can be advanced -to destroy the premises set forth by Mr. Grant, they should not liesitato to carry it into effect.

One thing is certain, tho public ibecoming impatient and is not disposed to tolerate further delay in dealing with the state of tho roads. When the baker raises tho price oi bread he blames tho roads, when tin milkman and tho grocer are questioned as to the reason for high charges they give a similar reason, and thus it is coining to the minds of the people that they would be well advised to pay annually a sum sufficient to construct and maintain good roads rather than pay to tradespeople double the amount because of tho heavy cost of distributing goods over semi-impass-able thoroughfares. This is of course no new subject with Gisborneites. Aleoting after meeting, month after month, and year after year the question has agitated tho minds of our City Fathers. To many it must have become something of a hideous nightmare, though it is to ho feared that in the caso of tho older hands, familiarity has bred contempt, and the spectre of metal supplies has long ceased to have any terrors for them Scheme after scheme has been brought forward ; the less ambitious ones hat e been tackled in a half hearted sort ol way, hut the majority have been care fully pigeon-holed, and just as surely forgotten. There is no question but tho Council has had a difficult problem to faco in arranging for the supply ol road metal, and until recent veait the revenue of tho Borough possibly did not warrant its launching out upon a costly enterprise. In consequence, it has simply tinkered with the matter, tho natural result being that our streets and roads continue in a disgraceful condition and the substantial amounts expended annually would appear, judging by results, to he almost wasted. Tho time has now come for carrying out a comprehensive system of road metalling,' and the question is: AVliich is the best available? Air. Grant has m.ade out an excellent ease for AA nihirere, and the Council has an opportunity, therefore, of taking an important step in forwarding the prosperity of the town.

The roil way time-table to be followed .on Wednesday ill connection with the representative football ina'ch is advertised ill this issue. The work or laying the Borough water-pipes i.s now in a lorwanl state, and it. is expected that water will he available to householders by .Saturday. A number of new members aero enrolled at last night’s meeting of tho No-Licenso Leagu*. By request a discuss ion oil tile reduction of licenses will bo introduced at next mooting. There was a good aibtendanco at tho meeting of the Cook County Curious Coons last night, wilion. sumo useful practice was done. A general meeting of tho society .will bo held on Thursday. Tho sale is reported, through Messrs Murray, Roberto and Co., of Messrs Morico Bros.’ To Arolni. station oi i 256 acres to Messrs Holdswortli and Balfour, of Canterbury, together with the 7500 sheep, 700 eattlo and 25 horses on tho station. Charges against two earners for broach of tho County Council’s tyro by-law were called oil at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, hut were dismissed when Air. Stock, who appeared for the County Council, explained that the wrong parties had been summoned. Tho Arai-Matawai cas 0 is on the verge of completion, the two last Lists of native participants in the block being practically agreed upon. Judge Jones will leave for Port Awanui on Thursday by the s.s. Hnupiri, to commence a sitting of the Native Land Court there on Aloud ay. '• Tho Hospital Social Committee met at- the Borough Council Chambers last night, Air. A. F. Alatthews presiding. There was an excellent attendance of members. The different sub-committoes reported that everything was in a forward condition, and a great success i.s looked forward to. Tho potentialities of the Urewera country as a miiiera-l-bearing district are now being fully recognised. The Warden's Court is at present sitting at Rotorua, and southern miners on their way to tile court are ait present passing through Gisborne. It is stated tl«.it numbers of miners from the north are also flocking to the field. .A fair number attended the usual weekly mooting of the Gisborne Debating Society last night. The syllabus subject, for tli B evening was, “Will British Supremacy Decline?’’ Air. McLean led w.ith the affirmative, Air. Roberto taking the negative. Air. Roberts had an easy victory, and proved to he a good debater. Mr. Blooro was accorded a vote of thanks for presiding.

A sitting of the Supreme Court in Bankruptcy was held yesterday before the Registrar, AJr. W. A. Barton. In tho following eases orders were made releasing the Official Assignee from further administration of the estates:—Patrick Mooney, of Kaiti, contractor: William Olive, of Gisborne, horse trainer ; Smith and Scott, of Gisborne, builders ; Albert Norman Nicholson, Te Karaka. laborer ; AVi 1liam Drummond, To Karaka, sawmilier ; Charles Cotton, Gisborne, carpenter ; John Drummond, To Karaka, sawmiller ; Alary Elizabeth Beavis, Gisborne, butcher ; William Birch Afarkic, Gisborne, carpenter : Archibald Campbell Linwood. Gisborne, clerk. In the cases of E. Humphreys and Sou and AA’illiam Oswald Sheet orders were not granted, ns reports had not been received from the Audit Department.

In the course of a discussion at- tho No-License League meeting last evening, Air. Peckover remarked that he sympathised with prohibited persons who wore heavily fined for procuring liquor. Ho thought the responsibility should be placed upon tho publican wlio supplied tho liquor, and instanced that a prominent English magistrate took.this stand. —Air. A. Graham pointed out that in many cases tlie fine did not fall on tho drunkard, but on his friends. Olio member upheld tho system followed ill tho courts of issuing prohibition orders and inflicting heavy lines for infringement's. In regard to the difficulty of fixing tho responsibility when persons were charged, Air. Balk said that in America the last publican supplying tho liquor was held responsible., The Rev. Air. Griffin referred to the difficulty publicans had in recognising prohibited persons, and s' lid that a better means of identification was necessary.

“If this were a football meeting I’ll guarantee there would be a crowded attendance,” remarked a lady member at the Building Society meeting last evening. Later in the evening the lack of interest in the society was mentioned. The lu.dy in question was rather out of patience with the thriftless colonial. “If they would put tho money they spend in ‘shouting’ into, a good investment,” slie commented, “they would soon have homes of their own. AV-liy don't you gentlemen point out to them that they can make far better use of tlieir monoy?” “But,” protested a mere man, “we can’t make them join against their will. There’s no compulsion about it; if they like to waste their money they are quite at liberty to do so.” “T,he matter lias never been put to them in a proper light,” the lady retorted. “If I were a man I would soon get men to invest in building societies and t!i e like. But Fun handicapped because of my sox.” “But ladies can become members also.” slyly said one of the male persuasion. “Yes,” she responded imperturbably. “hut it’s the men who get the money.” (Laughter.) ■