The Gisborne Times, PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13, 1907. OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2236, 13 November 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times, PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13, 1907. OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES.

.'Mr. Massey was, in all probability, absolutely correct when lie declared in the House that in connection with the discussion on the Public Works Statement not even the Minister was conversant with five per cent, of the ■work that was proposed to be undertaken in connection with reads and bridges. That being the case, what a re-the probabilities of the ordinary member, who is not usually disposed' to take his Parliamentary duties too seriously, having a reasonable knowledge of tlie legitimacy or otherwise of the expenditure ho is called upon to authorise. It is proposed ito spend over half a million of money oil roads and bridges during the ensuing financial year, and the bulk of that large sum will bo passed practically , blindfolded. As we have pointed out on more than one occasion previously, - tbe whole system under which our public works policy is conducted is entirely wrong. The Estimates include many hundreds of items concerning roads and bridges, the cost of which varies from £5 up to £SOOO. These cover many pages of foolscap, and are presented in one huge list to the House. For all the knowledge the average member has of tihe individual items he might ias well be perusing a schedule of works to be carried out in China. To take one instance:' “£IOO for expenditure oil the Wiaipdro-iMaita. road.” Whatt clianco' lias the average' member of Parliament of knowing whether or not the proposed expenditure is justified? The Hon. Mr. Carroll inay know something of it, so also' mhy Mr. Hcrries, but tlio remainder of the 80 odd members will certainly vote in the dark when this particular item comes forward. If it is also remembered that the Estimates are brought down in the closing days of tlie session, when members are heartily sick of the whole business, and are in a- hurry to get away to their homes, it will .be seen how hopeless it is to expect decent consideration for the toads and bridges vote. This is tlie time for political jobs to creep in, and they do. A particular vote may be necessary in the interests of the community, or it may be on the Estimates merely for the purpose of rewarding the zeal of a political partisan. If ia question should bo raised the Minister is on hand with a plausible explanation, ' which the other members, through their ignorance J3 f the subject, are quite unable to challenge, and so tlie thing goes on. In the last resort, the Minister can always silence .effective opposition by bringing the Government majority to work, for the roads and bridges vote is one of the chief factors in maintaining the worst evils of the party system. The Government of the day lius always recognised tlie policy of spoils to the victor, and a promise of a road'here and a bridge there has over been a potentforce in bringing a refractory member of the party in power back to a proper degree of subserviency. In tliis respect tlie Ward Government lias been neither better lior worse than others, but lias simply , followed in the steps of its predecessors by taking the fullest advantage of a bad system. How much better it would be if all these works involving, the constnUction of roads and bridges were entrusted to some local body such as the old Provincial Coun-

cils were. Take, for instance, our own locality. iA body of men representing tiro Avliole of tbo districts in the Cook and Wniapu Counties, Opotiki, Wliakatanc, and possibly AVai-roa, sitting at Gisborne, could fittingly be entrusted with the authorisation of public works in those areas, for they would have the necessary local knowledge. Then again if the financial responsibility were also localised, and t>lie people in the areas mentioned were compelled to nay for their own requirements, there would bo a good deal more .economy than is exercised at present. . Now tbo residents .of a

district in Southland will agitate for tlio biggest grant obtainable, knowing that tlio Gisborne folk, in common: with those in other parts of the Dominion will help to pay for it, and similarly wo aro only concerned at t'ho paucity of the Government 'grant. If tho responsibility for authorising theso local works, and also tlie .task of paying for them, were localised, tlio result would bo to educate our people in self-reliance, and would also conduce to economy in our public works administration. At the samo time our legislators in Wellington would bo given a much .better opportunity to give needed .attention to matters affecting tho whole of tlie Dominion, whilst there would bo removed one of the most corrupting influences .ill the polities of .tlio present day.

The approHC-lies on the AVliliitaupoko side of the Boobuckßoad'bmlgo have been filled in, and the 'filling in of 'the town approaches is nearly completed. The Carter’s Union met on Monday overling for tlio .consideration of .rules, but owing to non-arrival of a •copy from Auckland the meeting was adjourned till Thursday. At tlie Gisborne School tho Preparatory Classes will to-day and in. future assemble ifor .afternoon school at 1.30 instead of 1, thus having an interval of an hour and a half at mid-day. Tlio Harbor Board’s sand-pump dredgo camo off tlio slip yesterday and was. berthed at the Kaiti wharf, wlioro s'lio is being rigged for service. On Friday she will probably start on tbo work required to be done at Mr Simson’s property on tlio Point, AVhatanpoko.

There will bo a re-union of past and present membors of tlie Gisborne City Band at Dustin’s rooms this evening, to bid farewell to Mr. A. M. Pickford, who lias done yeoman service for the Band during liis stay in Gisborne. A number of invitations have been issued for the gathering.

A visitor to Tatapouri on Monday reports that on the beach .there are largo numbers of mackrel, which were cast up on, Sunday night. Tlie fishing party in tlie Tuaitca on Monday reported sighting two large whales, and it is surmised "that they drove the mackrel on the beach.

It has been definitely decided that a performsnco shall be gjveji on December 13th by tho Cook County Curious Coons. • Rehearsals have been going oil steadily for some time, land a first-class entertainment is promised. Tho President states that the public call rest assured that in. the performance there will not be a suggestion of vulgarity.

A southern exchange says:—“ln the production of ‘Bluebell in Fairyland,’ Mr. Tom Pollard again reveals liis genius for organisation, and, shall wo say, for inspiration. AA’o think we may fairly use tho word, for the army of bright-faced children ho lias got together appear to be inspired with all the zeal and enthusiasm of the veteran manager himself.”

It is .tlie intention of the Maoris (says the Opunake Times) at tlie next Road "Board election to nominate a candidate of their own. A Native said : “Te Poard lie make us p.iy all te samo te pakelia; kapni, we have te vote, and te Maori he sit at te table like a. big man, and when, his cousin or brother want te stone or te drain cleaned te Maori lie get up and say ‘Yes, I Fink that te good law.’ ”

Nothing further has been heard with regard to the whereabouts of Mr O’Sullivan. The missing man was in the habit of having meals at tho Gisborne 'Hotel and renting a sleeping apartment elsewhere, and on the Aigbt prior to liis disappearance did not occupy liis room, although breakfasting as usual at the hotel "the following morning. (Mr O’Sullivan’s brother and son arrive this evening from Wellington by the AViaikare.

Speaking of the visit to Wairoa of Inspectors Carmody anti Georgeson, who have been appointed by the Labor Department to inspect tho accommodation provided for shearers, the Mail remarks: “The intention of the Department is, we understand, not to in any way press harshly oil. slieepS.i rmers, but it is desired in the first place to obtain ,a. complete record of the accommodation provided, so that remedies may be found if needed.”

Tho prox>erty of the Waihi East Gold Mining Company, consisting of 64 acres, is situated next to tho famous Waihi mine at AVaibi. It is owned by Gisborne, Napier, and VAucklanr people. A largo roof 64ft wide is outcropping on the surface, and Several other reefs can bo traced, crossing from tho Wailii Company’s property into tho AA r aihi East. Tlio quartz showing on the Waihi East is similar to the Waihi Co.’s quartz. Mr. Thomas Johns, the well-known mine manager, is in charge .of operations, and" speaks highly of tho prospects of the min©. Samples of the quartz and particulars of tlio property can bo seen at Mr. George Smith’s, Gisborne.

The proceeds of tho Dominion Fancy Fair to bo held in tho Anglican Sunday School and Grounds on 27tli and 28tQi of this month aro to bo given to the Church’s Missions. Three missionary efforts will share in them, viz the Maori, the Melanesian, the Church Missionary Association, and the fourth part will be sent to London by tlie Bishop when attending tlie Pan-Anglican Conference next year. In connection with this conference all tlie members of the Anglican communion throughout the world will make a special offering. New Zealand’® offering is to. bo devoted to the work of women missionaries abroad, and'one quarter of the .nroceeds of tlio coming Fair will be sent as part of Gisborne’s contribution, to this fund. The Church Missionary Association is a hand of Church members in New Zealand who support 6 missionaries in various .parts of tho world. It is a branch of the Church Missionary Society in England.