TOPICS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4314, 25 March 1901, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

; SEVENTH CONTINGENT. Ou Saturday the Premier received a 1 cable message from Mcssrs Birt ' and ■ Company, the hgents of the transport Gulf of Taranta, in which the Seventh t Contingent is to voyage to South Africa, stating that the vessel has been delay- ‘ ®d_ at Newcastle owing to the coalminers 1 strike,’ and cannot roach ."Wellington until'tho 30thi inst. In order to fill' in the; intervening time, the Commander of the Forces has recommended, aiid the Premier has approved, thkt the men should strike camp at Newtown Park,' and march into the country, ultimately bringing up at Trentham, where they will camp, and indulge in rifle prac. tice; Theniarch will probably bo in the direction-of the Wairarapa. TROUBLE ABOUT STONE. The absence of stone: for road metalling and similar -works in - the' districts of the West Coast is a matter which gives local bodies m,ueh'trouhle. At New Plymouth the breakwater works have taken up a great deal of stone, and now the construction of a breastwork by the Railway Department threatens to consume the whole of the available supply. Believing that the Department would require only about 10,000 -yards of .the material for the works that it contemplated; the local Harbour Board gave the Government the use cf its only available quarry/ It is becoming abundantly- evident now, however, that if the Do- . partment does ' not stay its hand, the supply of metal will be eaten up. Thererfore, Messrs H. Maxwell (chairman) and J. B. Gonnett, representing the Harbour , Beard," Waited on tlie Minister and General- Manager" of Railways oh Saturday, morning and asked that, if the Depart- , ment ■ went on ■ removing material' :from , ' the quarry., it should at least refrain < from breaking up the big rock' blocks ■ which > were so valuable - in connection ] with; the- harbour works. ■ Mr Eonayne | • said.the only other-place where" suitable j i •stone could be procured was "at the 3 Manawatu Gorges uear Woodville. The j 1 Minister expressed "sympathy with the 1 x

deputation, and promised to have in quirk-s made to ascertain the best way out of the difficulty. He expressed He opinion, that,.;),, line- to Mount Bgm-mt, would be a very useful service, and if an extension were made in. that direction tho Department might give stono from..there in...exchange for that which tho Department. was now-using.

THE CITY, iUA?QEAIiTYi A suggestion ns to the Wellington Mayoralty is thrown, out by Mr R. G. Knight, who writes : —At present the electors bare before them t-wcf candidates, Mr Aitken and Mr Wilford. In my opinion neither of them has any claim for Mayoral honours at tho present time. .1. will state my objection to them, and. name a man that a large number of voterswill delight to honour, and who has served us in Senate and Mayoral chair. To all appearance Mr Aitken has served us to tho satisfaction of many during tho past twelve months. The future will require a man at the head of our municipal affaire with a business knowledge, beyond groceries, with a social experience far in excess of bachelorism, with a- breadth of sympathy far beyond the' boundary cf the present city, anxious ,to take inlto consideration the residents of our suburbs, that will induce them to make their surroundings inviting to the citizens of the more crowded city, and therefore will facilitate the means of transit, not make tho conditions imposed on the poorer but pleasanter district too burdensome to be considered. As regards Mr Wilford, ho has no municipal experience whatever, and as it is against the interests ,of his pi’ofession to assist the ratepayers with his legal Imowledgo, what-in \tho world is there : for-him to plead in his own favour? I have not exhausted my objections to either of the candidates for the Mayoral chair during, the coming twelve months. If it is necessary in the public interest, I shall return to-the subject. Mr John Duthio is the, man the citizens would delight to honour—a man who has served his adopted country in public capacities: for about a quarter of a century, and who has-suburban as well .as city experience and sympathy. At the pro- ' sent- time his experience in tho iron trade would be invaluable, when .we arc anxious to-flit : about on ■ iron rails, switched along by electricity. Hois in touch with the iron market and electric industries of the world, and on hia return , from the countries of iron and electric appliances, one of the first things he did was to want to get on with tKo job of city improvement. I trust the citizens will give him a chance •to help us in our time of need. We indeed require a man of his experience at the head of' municipal affairs for the next two years. Knowing he has able sons to look after his and their interests, in the warehouse, I make bold to ask him to volunteer for the duties of ‘ such an honourable position, and that i . before another twelve months has passed we shall find the Mayor of Wellington i is one of those 'the Sovereign delights to honour, and the citizens will congratulate Sir John and Lady Duthie.