The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1909. THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2500, 13 May 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1909. THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS

For some Tcasons we could have wished that Mr. R. McKenzie had been favored with less boisterous weather for his first visit to this district, for in that case the now Minister of Public Works would have carried away with him the same exalted opinion of the country wdiich seems to be acquired by all who come this way. At the same time the weather conditions will provide the Minister w r ith information that it is w r ell he should possess. As an hospitable people we should inie preferred that our guest should ba v e travelled in comfort, but, after a 1, it is a distinct advantage that a member of the Cabinet should realise by peisonal experience the difficulties that beset our outback settlers through faulty communication. Coming to railway matters, it is evident that the people of the Motu have taken to heart the advice of the Hon. Mr. McNab, who taunted them with undue modesty in pushing their claims in the past, and have utilised the present opportunity to place their needs clearly and forcibly before the new Minister. vSo well did they play their cards that they appear to liavo extracted some extraordinary statements from their visitor. Not only is the railway to be hurried on to the Motu, but we are told that North Island railway construction having lagged behind, the deficiency is to be promptly made up under a system whereby ten miles of rails arc to be laid down in the'North Island for one in the South. Our southern hlends have doubtless long realised that tho changing conditions as to population have given the North a clear r'glit to preference in railway eonstructio i, but it is scarcely likely that they will be content to be left so completely Nut in the cold as Mr. McKenzie’s statement would suggest. Of course, it may be that the Minister may have been referring to roads more than to railways, but even so, the same remarks will apply. It is indeed possible that the condensed report telegraphed through from the Motu may not have done the Minister full justice in regard to this portion of his speech, but we have no doubt that he has been convinced of the urgent necessity of pushing the construction of public works in this district. However, even though •Sir Joseph Ward may not endorse to the full the implied promise now made by the Minister of Public Works, it is satisfactory to note that there is evidently a marked disposition on the part of the Government to give to what has sometimes been described as “the neglected North” a reasonable share of public expenditure. It was scarcely likely that Mr. McKenzie would have heard anything of the suggested deviation of the Gisborne line from the Motu route, for tho matter bad mt reached a stage where it could with advantage to those interested he discussed publicly. Indeed, it is more tk.n probable that *as a- result of tho publicity given to the rumor we shall hear no more of tho proposed do via t> ml As a South Island member of the Cabinet, we are glad to welcome Mr. McKenzie to this portion of the Dominion, and feel confident that tho trn, even though a portion be taken under unfavorable weather conditions, will p vvo of great value to the new Mimstof, who is to bo complimented upon bis determination to make himseif poisonally acquainted with those parts of the country of which he has, in the p.ut, been more or less ignorant.

Mr. S. Hastie advertises a Bradbury A 1 boot repairing machine for sale.

Mr. C. G. Bloorc, stock and station agent, has a notification to tho public in this issue of the “Times.”

A licensed interpreter advertises for a position in a lawyer’s office. Application is to be made to the “Times” Office.

The following passengers had booked last night by Messrs Redstone and Son’s coaches: For Waipiro, Miss Bayl'iss, Messrs Werenn. Oulpin, Dali; for Tologa, Miss Mitchell, Mrs. Toisel, an( l sisters (2).

The weekly stock sales at Matawhero will take place to-day, beginning at 10.45 a.m. Messrs Williams and Kettle, Comon. Shelton and Co., and Dalgety and Co. advertise their entries for tho sale in this issue.

The Mayor of Christchurch has arranged, in .response to a requisition to call a public meeting of citizens to hear the views of Mr R. McNab, ex-Minister of Defence, on matters relating to defence, on the evening of Empire Day.

The President of the Tai Raiwhiti Maori Land Board yesterday accepted the tender of Mr. D. C. Watkins, of Waipiro Bay, for the lease of 0. Hine Tautea. 4839 acres, at Tuparoa, vested in the Board.

A Press Association telegram states that Industries Week commenced in Wellington yesterday. Some very creditable displays of goods manufactured in New Zealand were, made in the shops and the sign “Made in New Zealand” was conspicuous. It being the Wednesda half-holiday, the displays did not attract so much attention as they would on ordinary shopping days, and no doubt will during the remainder of Industries Week. Numerous manufactories, newspaper offices, and printing houses have been made available for public inspection.

A pleasant social function took place at Port Awanui on Monday night, when Mr. Reginald Sheen, who has been acting-postmaster there for twelve months, was farewelled by the residents prior to his departure on transfer to Gisborne. The function took place in the billiard-room of the Rose Hotel, and a most excellent supper was provided by Mr. D. W. Duff, the proprietor. In asking Mr. Sheen to accept, on behalf of Airs. Sheen, a purse of sovereigns, Air. Duff referred to osteem in which Air. Sheen was held by all who had come into contact with him, and also said that it was with feelings of great regret that they had mot to say good-bye. Several other gentlemen spoke in a similar strain, and after the health of the departing guest and his wife had been enthusiastically drunk, the proceedings were brought to a close by the singing of “For he’s a jolly good fellow.”

A practical joke was played in Auckland tho other day at the expense of a Gisborne lady. Aleeting in the northern city a Gisborne bachelor who had just returned from Sydney, she "was somewhat thunderstruck when he introduced a charming young lady with whom he was chatting; at the time as his wife: With feminine coolness the first ladv immediately commenced with suitable “congratulations, and in response to a. cunningly disguised query the blushing bride confessed to having been Airs. —— for the period of two weeks only. Afternoon tea was then enjovod by the two ladies, accompanied by the mutual confidences upon the matters so dear to the fair sex, until the younger one begged to bo excused for a moment as she wished to ecc a friend off by the steamer. This was the last seen of her, and the Gisborne lady who had looked forward to introducing a charming bride to her local acquaintances discovered that the bachelor friend was still a stranger to wedded bliss, and that she had been made tho victim of a wicked practical joke.

A writer in tho “Manawatu Standard” touches on some of the acquired characteristics of the young generation of Alaoris: —“Coming up from Foxtou bv train,” he says, “at the first stopping place a dozen young Alaori boys got in on their way to school at Oroua Bridge. No Sooner wore they in than down went every window in the carriage and out went a dozen heads. Aet they were well behaved and soon broke into song. I don’t think I ever heard ‘The Old Folks at Home’ more sweetly rendered; nor do I think the same number of pakeha boys taken haphazard could have come near them. But I was rather astonished when they ■alighted at the Bridge to see about half of them settle in the middle of. the frosty road, and taking silver and copper coins from their pockets begin to gamble like any two-up school in tho dominion. I think it was ‘pitch and toss’ they played, but to see the cool way they pocketed one another’s cash: their honored parents could not have done it better. Whatever other bumps may be missing, the bump of imitation jnust predominate in tho native race.”

‘•'The West Coast is an ideal place for the cotton industry to thrive in and prosper,” said a Lancashire man to a “Post” representative in "Wellington. “Yon have every advantage there. You have the climate, plenty of rain to keep the air humid, and then you have the other essentia!, cheap coal. You might make the West Coast the Lancashire of the southern hemisphere, certainly of Australasia. Yon need not have the slums and the evils of factory life we have in Lancashire. They are a legacy from our fathers. Lancashire was the pioneer of tho factory system, and has to pay heavily for her enterprise in the injury done to tho physique of her people. That is unnecessary in tho light of our experience now. Things are very much belter. There is no reason why a cotton factory or a cotton town should he an unhealthy place, if you can keep tho steam out. That’s wliat spoils tho mills in other countries. You don’t want humidifiers on the West Coast. The rain will do it for you. The conditions are simply ideal. The establishment of such an industry would lead to the establishment of other kindred manufactures. You might get your hematite and your ironsand to go then. Speaking, of course, ;fs a stranger to your beautiful country, X can tell you'there is a groat opening for enterprise in the establishment of the cotton industry on the West Coast. *