THE Bay of Plenty Times AND THAMES VALLEY WAROEN.

Bay of Plenty Times, 3 August 1893, Page 4

THE Bay of Plenty Times AND THAMES VALLEY WAROEN.

r Tha Spirit of tha Times shall teach ms speed. — fj_g Join, Act ir. Thursday, August 3, 1893. In our issue of the 10th ult. we wrote on the subject of the failure of the contract system for the maintenance of the County main roads. It will be j seen by roferenee to our report, published in another column to-day, of the proceedings at the monthly meeting of the County Council on Tuesday last, that the Engineer dealt exhaustively with this subject in his report to the Council. He pointed out that when the contract system was initiated the roads were taken over from the previous system of surface labour in | good order, and thus for a few years the new system appeared to work well and to be cheaper than the preceding | one. However it has proved itself to be falsely styled cheap, anyone who travelled the roads then and now cm tell how they have steadily deteriorated through neglect of the little noticeable but most essential portions of the work of road maintenance, such as side and cross drains, culverts, rounding up well in the spring, etc. There is little doubt we think in the minds of practical men, that the contract prices of the last few years have been entirely inadequate for keeping the roads in good order, an unques tionable incentive to contractors to do as little as they possibly could to scrape through and get their money. Everyone who has had much to do with contracts and specifications, will we think admit that they can be carried put in two different manner?, yet both of which will enable the contractor to claim his money. A specification is something like the proverbial Act of Parliament through which a vehicle of considerable size ia capable of being driven, — by such as will take advantage of the possib lity of doing so ; we fear that too many maintenance contracts have in the past been paid for in thia manner. If tho more rigid specifications recently drawn up are to be carried out in their entirety, then we can well see that there must be a considerable rise in the price of contracts, and, with all respect to the Engineer, we believe he is below the mark in putting this rise at from 25 to 50 per cent only. The recent wet seasons have put the finishing touches to the effects of long neglect; and no maintenance contracts, as such are at present understood, will recall the roads totheir earlier condition. Hard, heavy and skilled work is required which we believe will only be accomplished by a period of carefully supervised gang labour, or a series of special contracts where every work is specified in detail. Providing the funds for this is the problem that the Council must now face.

We are informod by tbe agent of tho Northern Steamship Conipany that there will be an excursion run by the Co's s.s. Clansman from Auckland on Saturday on the occasion of the visit of the Auckland footballers. /""We learn tbat a petition has been sent to Government, fron. Te Puke, asking that a road be formed .along. ...the northern end of Lake Rotorua from Te! Morea to Awahou a distance of seven or eight miles, whereby cattle could be driven from Te Puke to the railway without going to Rotorua at all, thus saving several miles of driving. The route j we believe, is /a very practicable, one and would also have the great advantage of completing the coach road right round the lake thus affording a new and beautiful drive ■to tourists. / A f ewjmall debt cases of no public interest were heard before Mr R. O. Stewart and Dr Leslie, J.P's., and the case of T. M. Humphreys v. Berry was further adjourned for tbe R.M.,whohas previously heard evidence in th) oase. The Football Club is in no way too flush of fund 3, and as considerable expense will be entailed in connection with the forthcoming matohes with Auckland and Mercury Bay we hope that everyone who can possibly do so will patronise the- benefit entertainment tonight. If you cannot attend buy a ticket. We would draw tho attention of the Borough Council to the fact that tho Market Reserve is becoming covered with young, healthy furze bushes, and unless steps are taken at once to. eradicate the roots it will soon become as overgrown as another reserve we know of. The poll in connection with the contest between Cadman and Rees takes place tomorrow. We will publish an extra with the result on Saturday morning. i With this issue is distributed a .sheet drawing further attention to the merits of the now celebrated Electric Blood Renewer. Mr j R. Badger is the local agent and has completely sold out of his first consignment, but has now a fresh snpply on hand. All of the local peoplo who have tried it speak in the highest terms of praise as to its curative powers. ' The electoral roft for the new Bay of Plenty district bas'just been printed at the office of this paper. ;It contains the names of 2068' persons, but many of those named have no right thereon as the bearers have left the district, while others 'have gono to that bourne from whence no traveller returns,' and aro therefore hardly likely to vote. Although rumours are continually in circulation regarding probable candidates for this electorate no one has definitely announced his candidature. We presume active canvassing will take place as soon as the present session of Parliament is concluded, but if there is anyone outside of sitting members who intends to contest the election we would advise them to take time by the forelock and bo first in the field. By advertisement in another part of this issue it will be seen that Mr J. Tonson Garlick (late Garlick and Cranwdll), has decided to hold a great cash sale to facilitate the closing of partnership accounts. The enormous discount of 25 per cent is offered off all ordinary prices, tbat i 3 5s in the £, and anyone can get at the prices by reference to the catalogue. Send for what you want while you cau get the articles cheap. The sale will* only last for one month. The Papamoa block is likely speedily to be turned to good account as we learn 'that a special settlement association is bein<* formed in Te Aroha forthe purpose of taking up a portion of tho block suitable for medium sized holdings. Mr B.C. Jordan was engaged to furnish a report as to the amount of land which will meet the requirements of the association and has just completed the task. The Association contains 12 members and their holdings will probably average 100 awes or soapieoe.

A meeting waa held at the Good Templars hall on Tuesday last when two more candidates were initiated into the Lodge. Officers for the ensuing- quarter were installed in an impressive manner and general business transacted. The Auokland City Counoil now pays its workmen for holidays as well as working days. On Sunday evening in the Wesleyan Church there will be a public reception of new members. The subject of the Rev. W. A. Sinclair's sermon will be ' Companions and their influence.' Messrs W. S. Laurie and Co. have an advertisement in this issue with reference to their manures, giving a list of prices at which the same can be obtained from the looal agent Mr , D. Lundon. Messrs Laurie and Co's manures are well known in these parts and need no [ recommendation from us. I Mr D. Lundon has just received from j Oamaru a large consignment of seed and feed j oats of the most popular kinds, and these are now on salo at the Haymarket. The Austrian warship Saida has arrived hi Auckland. She carries no less than 21 midshipmen, amongst whom is included one prince, one baron and one count. She is of an obsolete type for fighting purposes and is now used more for training than anything else. Yesterday morning an enquiry was held by the local customs authorities, into the circumstances attending the wreck of the cutter Dream and particulars were forwarded to Wellington. It appears that the wind failed just as~ the vessel was in stays under the Mount, and then, while the crew were endeavouring to sweep her round, sprang up from another quarter ; the anchor was dropped but failed to hold till she had drifted dangerously near the rocks and in swinging with the tide, her heel touched and immediately the chain snapped and she went broadside up on the boulders. Another opportunity and the last this year will be afforded country settlers and others of obtaining an assortment of fruit and shelter trees at the Haymarket on Saturday, 12th August. Mr D. Lundon will offer on that ■] date a final consignment from the nursery of l Mr H. C. Green, which will include 100 Japanese plums. Nearly - everyone who obtained trees at the sale a few weeks ago report that ali have taken root and already show signs of vigorous growth. Two special features of to-night's porforj mance will be the rendering of the beautifu Ballad ' Killarney ' by Miss Helen Fergus ' and the ventriloqual act by Mr Charles Hogarth. Footballers should provide themselves, for the match on Saturday ,/wyth gum boots, oork belts and oilskins. The ground on whioh the match is to be played presents at the present moment the appearanpe of a series of small lake 3, several yards 'aoross and from 3 to 9 inohes deep, ana the rain still falls. To-morrow is supposed to be Arbor Day but from present appearances of the weather we fear little will be done. Should it olear up an endeavour will be made to carry out the programme arranged by the Sohool Committee and tho Maunganui and Racecourse Domain BoardsBrass cap of smpAl buggy wheel still awaits owner at this offioei One shilling. On Tuesday the scow Margaret wont down to the heads with a number of appliances to aid in lifting, the cutter Dream. Unfortunately adverse winds delayed her arrival there and she was only ablo to take ori board a portion of tho cargo before the rising tide stopped operations. The bad weather has prevented them being resumed and it is now feared that the vessel will have to be abandoned, as she appears to be breaking up. Much sympathy is felt for Mr Brain at the serious and unfortunate occurrence. Every description of letterpress printing in executed in firat-class style at the office of this paper. Keep the money in the place by having your printing done here. — Advt.