The Telephone. WITH WHICH INCORPORATED THE POVERTY BAY STANDARD. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 269, 25 October 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. WITH WHICH INCORPORATED THE POVERTY BAY STANDARD. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25.

Yesterday evening the welcome intelligence was received that the Gisborne Harbour Bill had passed in the Legislative Council the third reading, with amendments proposed in Committee. The usual course then of referring the Bill back to the House of Representatives had to be followed. Hereunder we publish telegrams received during yesterday afternoon and evening, by His Worship the Mayor, from Sir George Grey, Sir George Whitmore and Mr. Locke :—• Wellington, Oct. 24,1884. 4.46 p.m. “ His Worship the Mayor, Gisborne.—Congratulate you. Harbor Bill read a third time and passed by Council. May many blessings spring from this act to Gisborne and its people.—G. Grey." Wellington, Oct. 24, 1884. 4.27 p.m. “ Captain Porter, Gisborne.—Harbor Bill passed finally.—G. 8. Whitmobe.” Wellington, Oct. 24, 1884. 5 p.m. “ Captain Porter, Gisborne.—Harbor Bill passed third reading in Upper House.—S. Locke.” Wellington, Oct. 24, 1884. 8 p.m. 11 His Worship the Mayor, Gisborne House of Representatives has just agreed to amendments made in Harbor Bill by Council. It is now absolutely safe. What a foundation for future progress is now laid I.—G. Gbey.” Wellington, Oct. 24, 1884. 8 p.m. “ Captain Porter, Gisborne. — “ Harbour Bill finally passed both Houses with all amendments agreed to, endowments included. —S. Locke.” The whole district, at least everyone who is not moved by narrow selfish feeling, will echo the words of Sir George Grey : “ What a foundation for future progress is now laid ! ” At last the district has at its disposal means whereby it will be enabled to develope its manifold resources. The attention directed this session to the East Coast, in itself cannot do otherwise than prove highly beneficial to its future prospects. But now that Gisborne is in a position to shortly take its place among the important seaports of the colony, none but those possessed of the most limited vision can fail to discern the advantages that are bound to accrue through the Harbour Bill becoming law. Yet we hear there are people, though their number be very few, whose great desire is to stay the hand of progress. They are afraid to advance, and dare not retreat. Innovation is nauseous to them, and material advancement is as gall and wormwood. In Napier it is said a few people of this class exist. They belong to the rest-and-be thankful order of mortals, and are reported to have arranged a programme whereby they will contribute jointly one thousand pounds to work up a substantial poll against the proposal to borrow for the Napier harbor works. With the legal machinery now at hand, it would be flying in the face of providence to attempt to oppose the borrowing of the necessary money for the Gisborne Harbor Works, when the time comes to take a poll of the ratepayers. Who, in his senses, would wilfully oppose the settlement of the East Coast? The opening up of its fertile lands? Inducing the influx of capital, the establishment of factories, local industries, giving new fields for labour, and the thousand and one other blessings to flow from the facilities now placed at our hands—if those facilities be properly exercised. The onward march of progress of the Australian colonies is now so great, that the place which is not advancing is in reality going back. Is New Zealand to stand idly by? Are its choicest spots, like Poverty Bay, specially adapted to be the home of avast population to do nothing to keep up in the race; simply to exhibit the “masterly inactivity,” which, partly

due to past governments, has so long asserted itself ? According to the highest statistical authorities, the population of New Zealand at the close of the present century —in the short space of sixteen years —will far exceed that of any Australian Colony at the same period of time. The present population of New Zealand is about half a million. According to the authority just referred to —Sir Dillon Bell’s celebrated address to the Royal Colonial Institute, London—the population of the Colony of New Zealand at the close of the present century will be 2,000,000. Assuming these figures to be accurate — and the source from

whence they come is, like Csesar’s wife, above suspicion—who will venture to predict what will be the population of the East Coast—that part immediately affected by taxation for Harbor purposes when the present century has expired. With every advantage that nature can

bestow, what can-stay its progress, but man’s lethargy, That the district is capable of "supporting an enormous population is everywhere apparent. That ere long it will have a great population to share the burden of harbor taxation may be looked upon as an accomplished fact. Gratified, and rightly too, the district is, in being successful in having its Harbor Bill passed ; and while gazing on the pleasing prospect outstretched before it, it will not be unmindful of the adage “ Honor to whom honor is due.”