THE PRIME MINISTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2216, 13 June 1908, Page 2

THE PRIME MINISTER.

OFFICIAL VISIT TO GISBORNE.

TO-DAY’S PROGRAAI'AEff.

The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) will arrive in Gisborne by the s.s. Winunera from Wellington this morning to officially open the new section of the Gisborue-Motu railway between Puba and Waikohu, and to accede to a request made some time ago that ho should deliver a political address. Bir Joseph will be accompanied by his two private secretaries (.Messrs Jiislop and Matthews), and during their stay will be accommodated at -the Masonic Hotel. The party will be met on the arrival of the steamer by the Mayor. (Mr. W., D. Lysnar), tho Hon. Captain Tucker (Chairman, of the. Cook. County Council) ,and .Mr. J. Town ley. (President of the East Coast Railway League). Early in the morning a number of private requests will be placed before tho Prime Minister, but it is not intended that any representative deputations will wait upon him. OPENING CEREMONY.

Sir Joseph will leave Gisborne at 11.30 a.m. by special train for Willows Crossing, where the formal opening of the railway at that point will take place. The train will stop at way-side stations en route. The temporary stopping place at Willows Crossing will be reached at 1 o’clock. Members of the local bodies are invited to bring tlieir wives, .two of the carriages having been specially reserved. A concession of excursion rates lias been granted to the public, and light refreshments will be supplied. Tlie train will leave Waikohu on the return journey at 2.30 p.m., reaching Gisborne at about 4 p.m. In tlie evening, at 8 p.m., a public meeting -will be held in His Majesty’s Theatre, at which tlie Mayor (Air. W. D. Lysnar) will occupy the chair. Sir Joseph Ward will deliver a public address on political subjects of tho day, at the conclusion .of which a complimentary motion.will be moved by tlie Hon. Oapt, Tucker, supported by .Messrs J. Townley and W. L. Roes. A .petition, which has over 200 signatures attached, asking the Government to hand over .the Alaori reserve to the Borough will bo presented.

No arrangements havd been made for (Sunday, and the day’s movements are being left to the Prime Minister’s wishes, a drive in the country being contemplated, should it meet with his ajiproval. Sir Joseph Ward returns South by the s.s. Waikarc to-morrow evening. Tho special train will stop' only at the following stations to pick up and set down passengers: -Alikaraka, Alakauri, Ormond, Te Karaka, and Puha, whilst the late train to-night that usually only* runs to Te Karaka will run right on to Willow Crossing, if any passengers desire, and' thus enable settlers from the extreme end to attend the Premier’s meeting and return- home the same night. Tickets will be issued to members of local bodies and tlieir lady friends >bv tho secretary of the Railway League and the Town Clerk, and must be obtained on the platform before starting.* DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS. While- Sir Joseph is at Waikohu, Air. W. D. S. MacDonald will bring under notice the urgency'of the,completion of the Waihuka Valley- road. Some. years ago 4ke settlers raised .1 loan of £2ooo to construct a road from Patutahi to Rakauroa, and the Government gralited a subsidy for tho work, which was surveyed by a Government official. It was found, however, impossible to maintain the road owing to the nature of the countryit passed -through', and' it was almost impassable in winter. It was then decided to make a deviation, and to give access through the \v aihuka Valley;, via Te Karaka, instead of Patutahi. An estimate .was obtained, and- a loan of £2500 was raised to carry out the work, the Government contributing £2OO and the County Council £SOO. The cost of construction, taking of land, and fencing both sides, however, has now left them with a deficiency of £7OO on the amount required to complete the road. Whilst the settlers are willing to try and raise the additional money, they have been unable to do so, owing to the County Council being restricted in its borrowing powers, and by reason of such,' restriction it would he impossible -to raise the money through the Council until 1910. Last session, however, the Hon. Jas. Carroll promised to obtain £IOOO for them t 0 finish the work, but only £2OO has come to hand. In view of these circumstances, and the fact that the road is being used by the Public Works Department as -a service rokd, the sctlers are desirous of obtaining a grant of £7OO to complete the present gap of two miles. The need of widening the Alotu Valley road from Matawai towards Tahora and Koranga will also be brought forward. There are many settlers on this road, who have taken tlieir wives and families away back with them, but are dependent entirely* ou a narrow track as a means of ingress and egress to tlieir properties. For only a distance of twenty, chains can they drive a vehicle, and from that, point furniture, stores, and requisites have to he sledged along a tortuous track, which is frequently dangerous to even a packhorse. Much settlement will shortly be made along this road, in- tlie opening.up of the Tahora and.Afoanui blocks. The settlers are asking for three miles of formation. •Air. AY. D. Wilkinson will demonstrate to Sir Joseph tho adaptability of the magnificent red birch timber of the Alotu for railway sleepers, in- , stead of having to import them from Australia, as was done on tile last ■ section. ’To show the durability of the timber, one of the many posts Put in by Alcssrs Hutchinson Bros. - 30 years ago? and taken out of the ground only this week, as sound as tho day it was first sunk in the ground, will he exhibited, together with several sample sleepers sawn at the null.

. CO UNTY i-REQTJ I REMENTiS. Before Sir Joseph leaves Gisborne for Waikohu the Hon. James Carroll and the Hon. Captain Tucker will bring under his notice the desirabil- , ity of establishing a separate Land Board for the Poverty Bay district, as it is considered the -lands in the - \Yaiapu doctorate arc of sufficient importance to justify the existence of a- Land Board to deal with them. They will also ask that the Loans to Local Bodies Act be amended so that the County Councils will not be limited to borrowin'* £6OOO in ariv two years, but -that the suin' required can be raised on loin with tlie sanction of the ratepayers. The Government will -also be asked should it be decided to hand over the Kopuatua Kopua Puaki reserve at Uaimata to the Borough that the interests of the Count- settlers ho piosoi ved, and the Countv Council be reserved the right to quarry metal ®. n ,*' *? land, or in the alternative that the land lie vested in the County and Borough Councils conjointly. in regard t () road formation, tlio 1 nine Munster will he asked to havo all uiiexpended grants -used as expeditiously as possible either bv the Department for Hoads or by’" tlio County Council, that the Arai-Mair-gapoiks and Wharekojiae-Tuhora roads he extended as rapidly as possible, and where necessary he converted into dray roads, and that a properlvmetalled road be formed to Te Arai tlie road to .give access to the croamery the settlers having been loaded witli extra rent to provide for roads.