GISBORNE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 23

GISBORNE

(From Our Own Correspondent.) My first subject this week is on© that should bo of special interest to your lady readers. Perhaps it may cause an invasion of these shores, which Cook found so un,hospitable, by an army rf Southern Amazons with matrimonial intentions. You will admit that there is reason to suspect such an ev<mt, Mr Editor, when I mention, that within the last twenty days ten of cur bravest and best young men, made s e;t unto death by Cupid’s successful a chery,- have faced the hymeneal altar to find the road-to recovery. Tills Is a large number for our small district, and report has it that next week, and before another moon comath, many other of (.w young people will follow suit. In one family four marriages are to take place. Two candidates have announced themselves as desirous of Gisborne mayoral honours this year. The sitting civic head, Mr John Townley, has held the position for some thirteen or fourteen years. Ho has only bean opposed once, and that was some years ago, but this year, m response to a requisition numeroulsiy signed. Mr H. D. Lysnar, the well-known local solicitor, has consented to stand. The man at the street corner will tell you the spirit of change is upon the town, and that while the old or deserves you faithful I the desire for the new will prove too strong on polling day. Certainly as a downright grafter Mr Do’-glas Lvsnar has become a local proverb, and on this score the diligent Mr Tow.aiey could not give him any points. So far interest in the election has been quietly shown. Mr Lysnar is to open the rhetorical ball on Friday evening, when he will address the ratepayers on municipal affairs. The anriuar meeting of the P. B. Sheep Dog Ti iai Club was held at the end of last week, and eclipsed the success of any previous gathering. Mr R. Stewart, of Tokomaru. a youthful competitor, working young dogs, won most prize money. Mr Jas. Russell, formerly secretary to the club, acted as judge, and his decisions were received with universal satisfaction. Mr R. B. Dasent was timekeeper. An enjoyable smoke concert on Saturday evening terminated the proceedings. Tlie Club Committee decided to make a presentation to Mr C. Hellier Evans, the secretary, as a mark of appreciation of liis invaluable services. The club have a credit balance of ever £4O. The Rev. M'r Oooto. of Turanga Church, leaves for England on Saturday to take up an appointment in Somersetshire. At a garden party at Mr Chavlefe Gray’s yesterday he was presented with a purse of sovereigns as a mark of the esteem in which he is held by the parishioners of Turanga.

After much del a the ereotion of a bridge at Tolaga Bay is now a certainty. The County Council accepted the tender of P. McLaughlin and Go. for a steel structure, at a cost of £4634, and as they will have £4750 to proceed wi th the work, it is within, practical accomplishment. Such a bridge will give a fillip to settlement on the extensive coast district stretching from Gisborne to the East Cape. Only the fringe has been touched so far, and there are immense areas of undeveloped country yet to be exploited.

Although this district is in a flourishing condition, speaking generally, the local bodies are always well up to the limit of their overdrafts, and for some yeans appear to have had little money for new works. The Cook County Council, when the present members took office, wore deeply in the financial mire, but at laso meeting the clerk was able to furnish the satisfactory intelligence that the overdraft had been reduced to £4947. the best position the Council had been in for five vears. The trouble with local bodies in this district is the scarcity of

good metal for the roads, and tlie calls for stone make heavy demands on the public money bags. Motor cars are becoming so thick about Gisborne that at the request of the Waiimat-a R-oad Board the County Council are considering the framing of a by-law -to regulate the traffic. There is one jigger, described by a local humorist as a “juggernaut,” at which the shafts of public opinion appear to have been aimed. Perhaps it is that the good people in the back blocks of Gisborne have not become accustomed to seeing the cans speeding down the fiteep side cuttings, and are prone to exaggerate the danger. As it is. it is alleged that the settlers in one district are in the habit of ringing each other up on the telephone to ascertain if tho ‘'juggernaut.” is on the road before proceeding to or from Gisborne.