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PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 5, 1901. SHAMEFUL DESTRUCTION.

TnE Motu Settlers’ Association are deserving of hearty congratulation for the practical way in which they are securing attention to the needs of that portion of the district. The interview which a Times’ representative yesterday had with Mr Prouse should be read with interest by everyone who has the good of the district at heart. The Association wisely sought the opinion of Mr Prouse in regard to the quantity and quality of the timber in the Motu, and that gentleman’s experience is so great that his report was naturally anticipated with much interest. Though the official report is not yet prepared, Mr Prouse has kindly given us the advantage of the opinions he has formed, and what he has to say should for ever set at rest the points that were thought debatable. Mr Prouse, of course, could not be expected to give accurate measurements without going into the matter more minutely; but he is able to make a confident statement that there is both the quantity and quality of the timber in the Motu to make it an exceptionally fine place for sawmilling purposes, and in addition the country is admirably suited for the purpose, only easy grades haying to be contended with in the construction of tram lines What Mr Prouse now states has been said over and over again by Mr James Whinray, who made a close inspection of the country himself before he made the positive declarations that are now borne out by Mr Prouse, and have been substantiated by other gentlemen of experience. It is time that closer attention were given to this subject. It is shameful that such a valuable asset should be sacrificed in the way that must be done under present conditions. The advice given by Mr Prouse is “that an effort should be made to get a Government expert to give a detailed report on the timber, and we hope that the local bodies will do all in their power to get this done. In the course of his remarks on the destruction of forests, Mr Prouse pointed out that trees that took hundreds of years to grow were now being destroyed, and the only attempt made at conservation is to plant a few trees that will not mature for generations to come. He touched on a point that should have more attention from our legislators, for it is a great wrong to keep on destroying by fire an asset that can never be replaced. In the case of settlers, if they cannot mill the timber, they must burn it to get the land cleared for stock.

The large fruit yield of the present season has been affected a good deal by the recent high westerly winds. Over 3000 people were present at a meeting held at Christchurch in support of proposals to harness the Waimakariri river for the generation and transmission of electrical power. A sad event occurred on Sunday, when the infant child of Mr and Mrs Williams, of Ormond, died after a two days’ illness, the cause being what is known as summer dysentery. The schools throught the district resumed tuition yesterday morning. Some of the schools were not so largely attended as they should have been. In the country harvesting operations affected the attendance.

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Captain Chrisp and Mr Johnston, Justices, Henry St. Clair was remanded to Rotorua on a charge of stealing a watch and chain.

A number of very fine town and country properties will be offered for sale by Messrs Williams and Kettle, on the 23rd inst., at McFarlane's Hall, Particulars of the sale will be seen on reference to our advertising columns. A meeting of the Loyal Gisborne Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., was held last evening, Bro. S. H. M. Quigley presiding. Feeling reference was made to the death of the Queen. A large amount of routine business was transacted.

The Auckland Gas Company’s net profit for the past year totalled .£27,972. A dividend of 7s 6d for the half-year is declared. The consumption of gas in the city increased equal to 6 per cent during the year. A demand having been made for copies of hymns used at Saturday’s service, as a memento of the occasion, a number of copies on satin and strong paper, with vignette of the late Queen, will be printed and ready on Thursday. Mr E. P. Joyce in this issue addresses the electors of the Gisborne harbor district, and states that he is at all times in favor of the progress of both town and country. He should receive a large measure of support. Mr A. Y. Ross’s address to the Harbor Board electors is practical and not without a touch of humor. He states: “If the promises made by the other aspirants to seats on the Board are fulfilled there will be nothing left for me to do.” Mr Ross has at all times taken a deep interest in matters relating to the harbor.

In another column Mr D. Dobbie has an address to the Harbor Board electors. He advocates increased shipping facilities for the great expansion in the trade of our port. He is in favor of a progressive policy, and believes that by judicious expenditure, and at a moderate cost, vessels of much larger draught could come in, and much of the present lighterage charges would be saved. The semi-finals of the Poverty Bay Rowing Club’s double sculls were rowed last evening. Kellett and Russell (scratch) beat J. Pool and B. Boylo (lOsec). This was a capital race, and was won by barely a quarter of a length. The other race was —C. Taylor and G. Brown (lOsec) v. J. Webb and W. Parker (6sec). This was also a very close race all through, and was only won by a couple of feet, there being a very exciting finish. The final takes place to-night between the winning crews, and should prove a most interesting race.

Mr William Gedye, jun., a respected Patutahi settler, had a marvellous escape from being fearfully crushed last week. He was driving a dray into town, and some sacks on which he was sitting above the load slipped, causing him to fall to the ground. The wheel of the dray passed over his thighs, but fortunately the bags had fallen on his limbs, and saved him from what must otherwise have been certain death. He was conveyed home by Stevens’ coach, and attended by two doctors, who found that he had not suffered any lasting injury. He was able to come into town on Memorial Day. So far, the energy shown by the north has been rather fitful and spasmodic, and for steady, solid advance in trade and industry we see little likelihood of Auckland ever beating her sturdy rivals in the south. A spirit of patriotic ambition is in the air, and all manner of schemes have been suggested for encouraging still further advance. Within the city the standing reproach of a bad watersupply is to be remedied by utilising the Nihotapu stream; and the lumbering ’bus service is, at some indefinite future day, to be replaced by new electric trams. Going further afield we find the newspapers urging the Government to complete the Main Trunk Railway from Wellington, to construct a line to Gisborne, and another to the extreme north, and thus bind together all the disjointed parts of the district.—Lyttelton Times.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GIST19010205.2.8

Bibliographic details

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 30, 5 February 1901, Page 2

Word Count
1,248

PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 5, 1901. SHAMEFUL DESTRUCTION. Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 30, 5 February 1901, Page 2

PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 5, 1901. SHAMEFUL DESTRUCTION. Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 30, 5 February 1901, Page 2

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