"ROADS ON THE BRAIN."

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3945, 30 May 1913, Page 4

"ROADS ON THE BRAIN."

NECESSITIES OF CIVILISATION

PUSHING ON THE RAILWAY

In proposing the toast of “District Rail wavs” at the social tendered to Mr W. D. S. MacDonald. M.P., at Patutahi last evening, Mr. A. C. Steele made some remarks of particular interest. , , , ... “I am,” he said, “entrusted with what I consider a most important toast. I am accused of having roads on the brain, and I can safely say that I have agitated for r< ads for the last twe've years, and weare getting these roads at last. The Roman., to.d T]s that the first necessity for civilisation was roads, the second step was roads and the third step was still more roads. I quite agree with the Romans. 1 know that this district only wants roads to make it one of the verv best districts in New Zealand. I look upon it as a public calamity and a calamity to Poverty Bay that our guest was for so short a time Minister of Public Works. lam confident that bad he remained Munster of Public Works, the rad way would have been an accomplished fact to rsapier within ten years, and to Hangaroa, of which t am deeply anxious, within five'years. (Applause.) If he had remained in office there would not have been that big surplus of £/00,000, of which we read m the paper the other morning. I believe that Mr. MacDonald would have seen that a great deal more money was spent on public works, and that this railway would have gone a great deal further than it has done so tar. It is held up now. I believe that the want of this bridge over the \\ aipaca river is to blame. When the bridge is made, the railway will soon reach Xgatapa, and we will reap much benefit from it.”