THE COLONIST. Published Every Morning. Nelson, Tuesday, Mar, 5, 1907. PUBLIC WORKS.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11876, 5 March 1907, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Every Morning. Nelson, Tuesday, Mar, 5, 1907. PUBLIC WORKS.

In answer to a question aaked by S a representative of one of the Christchurch papers, the Acting Premier, Mr Hall-Jones, said that when the public WOrks arrangements for the year were being made the Cabinet would consider the advisableness of discontinuing work altogether for some years upon a number of smaller lines, which were not approaching a paying point, and concentrating its energies upon pushing through the Noith Island Trunk railway, and three or foar other principal lines which are nearing completion. The journal we quote from remarks that "there will, of course, if this policy should be adopted, be a howl of indignation from Whangare to Catlins River, as soon as tbe names of the favored lines are made known. But the Government is strong enough to ignore parochialism of this sort, and if the Ministry should decide that railway construction will be best proceeded with by the new method, it is its obvious duty to adopt ifc. " That is all very well, and if one work bad been commenced and carried to a conclusion before another had been begun there would have been certain advantages, but there: would also have been drawbacks. For instance, the connecting by rail way of one district with a port of shipment would have made that district, and, for the meantime, would I have caused other localities to lang- 1 uishj while the seaports that first secured the trade of the district would have "continued secure fioui the competition of other places which bad not suffered such an advantage. ,To a large extent Nelson hes suffered from just such a disadvantage. For many years she remained almost stationary while more favored places advanced by leaps and bounds. It requires no vivid imagination, however, to picture bow much more populous the city would be, and bow much greater tbe volume of trade in the whole district would be to-day if railway communication existed between Nelson and j the rest of tbe island, if the whole of the lands of the interior bad been brought within reach of a market, the thousands of acres uf forests rendered accessible, if prosperous settlement had been made possible in the fertile valleys of tbe interior, and tbe means provided ■ by which the coal and other minerals could have been turned to account. * But instead of the main trunk lines of railway being carried to completion, as was contemplated under the Public Works Scheme, before branch lines were undertaken, our Canterbury friends succeeded in securing a great many branch lines, and it is surely somewhat late in the day for them to support the cessation of works other than those of the very fiist importance, after they have secured practically all that they can by any means ask for. The suggestion made by the Act-ing-Premier is not a new one, for it has been hinted at for many months, and it baa been understood that new works should wait till those in progress, or some of them, have been completed, Manifestly, however, it would be injudicious to stop all but one or two lines, for suob stoppage in many oases would involve the Colony in great loss, and subject settlers to ruinous inconvenience and disappointment in respect to anticipations which have been based on Ministerial assurances. The prosecution of the Buller line, for iu- | stance, must be proceeded with, and in view of the large areas of land in the vicinity that are being opened for settlement the delay of this work would involve th Colony in serious loss.

The Mayoralty— Supporters' of Mr Piper' 3 candidature for the Mayoralty are invited to attend a meeting at "the Co-operative Society's rooms to-morrow evening. • * Police Court— Yesterday morning a man named John Barr Aitken was brought before Mr H Eyre Kenny, S. M., charged with the theft from the Ship Hotel of a bottle of whisky, and with being found drunk on Wakefield Quay. Accused, who pleaded guilty to both charges, said be had no recollection of stealing the whisky. Both offences were | committed on Sunday morning. Accused was fined 10s on tne first charge, and ss, costs 4s, for drunkenness. The fines were paid by Mr Heyward, of the Puponga Company, for whom accused was on bis way to work. Nelson Harbor Board— The usual monthly meeting and the annual statutory meeting for the election of Chairman of the Nelson Harbor Board will be held to-day. N.S.P.O.A.— The annual meeting of this Society will be held at ruessre Kout and Sons' rooms this afternoon, at 3.30. The Committee I meet half an hour earlier. | Professional Notice— Dr Schwaiz- ! bach, M.D, specialist in eye, ear, and throat diseases, who is revisiting New Zealand after ten years' residence in London, will be in Nelson for some two or three weeks, and ma be consulted at the Masonic Hotel from March 12tb. The doctor was in former years a resident of Sydney, where he had a large practice. Football— A meeting of the Management Committee of the Nelson Rugby Union will take, place at Stallard's Rooms oq Thursday evening. 35The Temper at ure. — At three o'clock this morning the thermometer outside this office registered 55 degrees, |

San Francisco Mail Service— Ow-j ing to 'continued flisirrangements of the Ban Francisco Mail Service, no mails for Great Britain will be sent or received by that route for the present. Every opportunity via Suez should be availed of. Wednesday's Regatta— The entries fefceived for the Regatta on Wednesday afternoon are very satisfactory. For the sailing championship, four entries have eeo received ; for£the handicap sailing race, seven; for the race for mot. t boats, over thirty feet, six; for those under thirty feet-, six; for any size of mpfcor bo&tr, eight; and three in each of the life saving competition^, but these are likely to bte increased by post entries. The first race will b 6 started at 1.45 p.m. The Citizens' Band will supply some ekcellenj; rhVisic, and if the weather proves favorable the Regatta Should prove an undoubted success. Citizens' Band Masquerade.— The Monster Masquerde, which is to be held at the Botanical Reserve tomorrow evening, promises to fee something out of the ordinary. Th§ programme is a leftgthy one', and inoludea a grand ntareh. ol masqueraderp-, led by the Alligator Band; singing &nd bun eating competitions; 20 Century hair-cutting saloon ; the human sausage eater ; bone-shaker steeplechase and obstacle races; ground tumbling and lollie. scrambles ; Maori haka up toIdate; selections by the Alligator and Citizens' Bands: also the Magnophone; concluding with a 7-a-side football match, ladies and gents. A large marquee will be in charge of the ladies, who will dispense refreshments to customers-. The procession headed by the Citizens and Alligator Bands, followed by masqueraders, leaves the Bandroom at 7 o'clook sharp. - Mr Frank Harford draws notice in j his new advertisement that he must sell off his present large stock of jewellery, etc., to. make room for large indent orders which he expects shortly. Inspection of the window is invited. 658 Photographic Competition — Fifty pounds in prizes makes the largest prize list offered in Australasia for photographic competition. Suob is the amount to be presented by the "Weekly Press" as prizes in the photographic competition, which is open to amateur and professional photographers. Full details are given of the competition in our popular contemporary, the "Weekly Press." Visitors to Christchurch for the Exhibition are reminded that the Great Fair is not the only place worth seeing in the "Cathedral City. " Strange's famous establishment—known as "New Zealand's Greatest Emporium"— is worth a visit, and advantage should certainly be taken by excursionists of the opportunity to go over it. They will be made very welcome, and cannot fail to be impressed by the size of the establishment, and also its great resources. They will do well also to supply their requirements for the autumn and winter seasons while they are at Strange's, for the firm is always up to date, and can offer unusual advantages to buyers. 659! We follow the. Fashions aud Seasons, and keep Goods to meet every condition. See the; latest, the Designer's Art, in Browns and Grey mixtures— Harford and Daly, Tailors, Trafalgar Street. Ask your grocer for Victory Butter— one of the best and purest butters made in the Colony. Hop-Picking will soon be in full swing, and it is hoped the growers will realise satisfactory prices. The pickers all know that for anything requried for their homes Lock's is the place where they get the best value and satisfaction for their money. If it ia a piano or organ, Lock has it; also couches, chaivs, tables, chests, duchesses, linoleums, carpets, etc., in the latest designs. Prams and go-carts in new art shades, pale grey, green, or blue. The Zealandia and Miner ranges cannot be excelled, and last, but not least, the famous Atlas Sewiog machines, all at bedrock prices, uud easiest terms. This afternoon at 1.30, Messrs Mark Sprot and Co will conduct a sale of furniture on premises, Willow Bank Avenue, on behalf t of Mrs T J Lynch the list appears in this issue. To-morrow, at 2 p.m the firm holds a stock sale at the White Hart Yards, Richmond. .The yarding at piesent consists of 400 sheep. Messrs Bisley Bros and Co 's sales advertised are:— On Thursday, 12tb instant, at Wakefield, on account of Mr J C Williams, household furniture and effects, without reserve; on Wednesday, 33th instant, at Richmond 5000 fat store sheep, including wethers, ewes, and lambs, 30 rams, and 20 fat cattle; on Friday, 15tb, "at Wang&peka Run, on account of Mr E J Robinson, 2000 sheep, including ewes, lambs, and forward wethers; traps will meet the 10,30 a. m train at Tadmor, and convey purchasers to and from sale; on Saturday, 16fch instant, property in Bridge street, on account Mr T S Chjaholm (altered from 23rd instant.) On Thursday next, at 1.30, Mr William Lock will sell at the residence, at South street, the furniture and effects of the late E Annear. On Friday at 1.30, at the residence, Collinjgwood street, the furniture and household appointments of Mr F H Ilounsell, who is leaving Nelson. At Tadmor on Tuesday, 12th Mr Lock will sell the contents of the general store belonging to Messrs' White Bros, comprising drapery, groceries, etc.