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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5150, 25 September 1877, Page 2

The County of Cook can scarcely feel indebted to Mr. G’Eorke for the way in which he disposed of his casting vote yesterday, whereby Cook County became included in the educational district of Auckland.' In the days of provincialism even before Poverty Bay had hardly recovered the effects of the disasters of the Maori war, it “sighed and suffered long,” all the while fondly hoping that the day would come when it would for ever “ cut the painter” that connected it with Auckland, and form instead a part of Hawke’s Bay, to which it is geographically and commercially more closely allied. This will be better understood when it is explained that Napier and Gisborne are within nine or ten hours’ water communication of each other, while it has often taken seven days, and even more, to go by steamer from Gisborne, the capital of Cook County, to Auckland. The proposal of the Hon. Mr. Bowen was to have Cook County annexed to Hawke’s Bay. This is the desire of the people of Cook County. Mr. Bees, as usual, labored under a misapprehension when he stated that the county was satisfied with its connection with Auckland. In this Mr. Bees misrepresented the wishes of the people. It is not in educational matters alone that Poverty Bay has experienced the melancholy effects of having been tied to an impecunious relative like Auckland. Since the time which occurred some years ago, when jMr. Hugh Hart Lusk, in order to sell the town sections of Gisborne, came all the way from Auckland in the Comerang to Poverty Bay, suffering from the direst pangs of sea-sickness, down to the present day, what has Gisborne received from Auckland ? No more than Lazarus received from Dives ! Mr. Lusk took back with him the the money to pour into the depleted coffers of the Auckland Provincial Treasury., It is too true that Gisborne suffered like other parts of the province from the Education Bill spawned by the Education Board of Auckland, of which Mr. Lusk was chairman. It can be readily understood why it was urged by the Auckland members to have Cook County attached to that educational district when it is stated that at the present time time £230 a year are derived from the educational, reserves in the township of Gisborne. •