HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 66, 21 March 1901, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION.

To the Editor of the Times. Sir, —There are two points raised by Mr D. Murray’s letter in your last issue which, with your permission, I would like to reply to. The first is as regards the Waiohiharore or Waikanao matter. The Borough Council were desirous of purchasing this place for a rubbish and nightsoil depot, and before protracted negotiations were completed the Borough Council signed and approved of plans for the laud to be cut up and sold privately. I understand the land was previously offered to the Borough at the very low price of ,£lO an acre, and for sonic reason they did not accept it; but instead, through the assistance of Capt. Tucker, purchased some 26 acres immediately beyond it for £5 an acre. Now, if it is true that Capt. Tucker was the cause of the Borough not getting the first land selected, I say that he has done good service to the Borough, and should have our thanks and not our displeasure. In tho first place the depot would have been too closo to the town, and secondly the land further away has been purchased at £5 an acre instead of £lO, winch has resulted in a good saving to the Borough. Mr Murray says that I have judged Messrs Joyce and Whinray in a severe manner, and I allow no credit for their past services. Now, Sir, lam quite willing to givo credit for past services when there is anything to show for them, but when there is nothing to show, what is one to do ? If Mr Murray had to pay heavy taxes for money unprofitably spent, he would not think I was too severe so long as I gave true and fair facts, which I claim I have done. lam quite willing to admit that Mr Whinray has dono good service to the district in advocating the Motu timber, but apart from this I am not awaro of any real substantial good ho has done the town, but, on the contrary, I do know of many of Mr Whinray’s actions that have retarded the progress of tho town and district ; I do not say intentionally, but quito unintentionally, and with the best of motives, but all of which goes to show his weakness for the position he desires to obtain. Regarding Mr Joyce, I cannot call to mind any of his past services to the public which stand out and show forethought. On the contrary, I regard Mr Joyce as one who never leads and propounds schemes, but is always on tho alert to find fault with them and those who move them. In this respect I look at Mr Joyce through the same class of spectacles as I do a red-hot prohibition person who seems to be unable to hear or credit anything that can be said against prohibition any more than Mr Joyce can hear or credit anything said against his views, and we have no moro striking illustration of this than when Mr Joyce would not believe he was sitting in his chair at the Borough Council meeting a short time back when the Mayor read out a certain letter. If a Councillor is not shrewd enough to know whether he was sitting in his chair when the letter was read and then defies the assurances of the Mayor and others that he was, surely ho . is not a proper person to -watch and protect our interests on a Board where hundreds of thousands of pounds are at stake. We want clearor-headed men to watch our interests, and men who know without question whether or not they are sitting in their chair when a certain letter is being read, and I repeat again the oleetors will be studying the best interest of tho town by returning Capt. Tucker and Mr Pcttic. —I am, etc.,

W. Douglas Lysnar. (To the Editor of tho Times.) Sir, —Mr W. Douglas Lysnar is a gontloman I think a great deal of, for ho does not hide his light behind a bushel, and then grumble because everything does not go as he desires. But I have not much faith in his opinions, as he would put them. He writes: “ Now, regarding Mr Joyce, if the ratepayers desire to obstruct the present work now in hand, or to retard any future schemes that might be brought forward, or if they desire to bring discord into the present or futuro Board, by all means return him at the noxt election; but if they want a sound, cool thinking member it is to be hoped that they will not record their votes in his favor.”

Thanks, Mr Lysnar; that is why I hope every right-thinking man will vote for Mr Joyce. We want a man who will not bo always coolly thinking how, as a momber of a public body, he can benefit himself ; a man who will get up and obstruct anything and everything, all schemes and schemers, if their object is other than the public weal. If the Board be strictly honest, as wo all believe it to be, it can bo none the worse for keeping on the ship a special look-out man to give tho alarm when there aro shoals in viow. And put him in harness with a good, careful, plodding man like Mr Whinray, what better could wo have ? Mr Whinray, of course, has tho little weakness of taking a quiet “ rise ” out of men like Mr W.D.; but wo must have a little humor occasionally. If Mr Whinray can devise and carry out some scheme by which the harbor can be brought near his own door I will give him £IOO as a birthday gift. Mr Pettieisagoodman, and I should like to seohim and Mr Harris in public life, also Captain Tucker—every willing man’s service should be utilised—but it is not necessary, indeed it is very wrong, to decry one man’s merits for the purpose of helping on another. When I praise men who deserve praiso I am not be understood as decrying Mr Lysnar.— l am, etc., Papa. (Tq tho Editor of The Times). Sir, —In view of statements that have been made, can you inform me who is the owner of the unsold Victoria beach sections ?—I am, etc., Kumi.

(To the Editor of the Times.) Sir, —A number of gontlemcn appear to be employing their time in barracking for certain candidates for tho Harbor election, and as quo of the native born I cannot allow’ Mr F. Harris to go unbacked. He is always there when ho is wanted, and despite Mr W. D. Lysnar’s appeal to the electors, Capt. Tucker’s gentle persuasive powers, Mr Joyce’s boisterous eloquence, and Mr Whinray’s ironbark persistency, Mr Harris will, I think, be at the top when the numbers go up. Let everyone who studies the interest of the port and his own comfort vote for Mr Hands, and the place will go ahead. —I am, etc., “Plumper.”

To the Editor of the Times. Sir, —Is it manly, on the eve of an election, for a mau to attack another in a way calculated to injure, his chances? Mr Lysnar states that Mr Whinray’s watchword is “ Taihoa,” that he was a strong mover in getting the harbor works shiftod to their present site, and is otherwise a man who should be refused a seat on the Harbor Board; all of which is absolutely misleading. So far from Mr Whinray being blameable for the harbor bungle, he was always with those foreseeing men, Messrs Matthews.on and Dickson, who stoutly resisted the work of the harbor He was always in the van of progress, and had his advice been accepted, Gisborne would now be. ten'* years ahead of itself with water, drainage, breathing space for the people and many other good works. Those who laughed at him as a faddist over the Motu timber had to back down' quietly, and those who got the new post-office built on the down street corner will soon admit that Whinray’s advice to have it in, a central place was right. If Mr Lysnar wishes to be of service to tho community, he should take as a model 'Mr Whinray, a publicspirited, progressive, careful, far-seeing, self-denying’representative.—l am, etc., Adyancs GISBOBNBv