ROUND THE TOWN, NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BY THE MAN IN THE STREET)

OUR ROADS – When a town like Berwick has so many motorists passing through the authorities should see to it that the roads are in a fair condition at least. A motorist frequently judges a town by its road and if Berwick is ever so judged, it must have an unenviable reputation. Despite what one or two tradesmen are fond of declaring, the visitors to Berwick are certainly a source of revenue to the inhabitants of the town, and a fairly considerable source, so that Berwick should take care to make the town attractive.

The remarks of some motorists who have had the painful experience of driving down Castlegate and Marygate, would make the ears of the Councillors burn. Castlegate as far Scotsgate is, I understand, practically a County road, but it can be repaired by the Berwick Council which has to pay part of the cost. Bridge Street, another shocking street, is so narrow that the authorities contend it cannot be repaired without stopping all the traffic, which could not be diverted along the quay without breaking the bank of the river. So, Bridge Street, at any rate, has to remain unrepaired until the new bridge is across the river. I suspect also that Castlegate will not be repaired until just before the new ay is opened up; meanwhile Berwick will be getting a bad name for itself.

METHUSELAH– Berwick is said to be behind the times in many ways. One of these ways came to my notice this week. A lady at present staying in the town wished to have a little more information about Berwick, and so, going to a shop that carries on business as a newsagent among other things, she askes for a guide to Berwick. She paid the sixpence asked and walked out. She became quite delighted with Berwick. According to the Guide, steamship trips were running from the old quay to Holy Island, the Farnes, Dunbar and other delightful parts. Another advertisement informed one of the interesting fact that pottery was made at Scremerston. Unfortunately, when the lady happened to glance at the date of the guide, she found it had been printed in 1907. I am not sure if they were right in supplying that guide at the shop, but it is another of those little things that give the town a name for being second class.

CAFEITIS – This is a strange modern disease which has already got many of the city workers in its grip and which is slowly becoming prevalent in Berwick. Inmost cases the disease commences with unmistakable symptoms in the neighbourhood of 11 in the morning. Then, those workers in the happy position of be able to slip away from work for fifteen minutes glance furtively at the clock. At the stipulated time they unobtrusively don a hat and saunter out into the street and into one of the excellent cafes that have recently sprung up in Marygate. Here they sit and chat for 15 minutes, sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette. After this they return to work and despite the break get through all their business by the time the lunch hour arrives and do it better than before being smitten with this pleasant malady. There are those in Berwick who fancy this morning coffee habit is a sign of slackness or wasting time. I rather disagree; the short break has the same effect as playtime does on school children; it freshens one, sharpness one’s faculties and is such a change for routine workers that the daily round becomes imbued with more life. Berwickers have not developed the habit to a great extent, but from recent observations I am inclined to think that it is a habit that will become as popular here as it already is in the cities.

A MOTHERS’ MEETING – The meeting of the Guardians to discuss Porr Law Reform was little better than a mother’s meeting. After talking for a solid hour, one suggestion was adopted and absolutely nothing was done about the matter for which the Board really met. The meeting was the strongest argument. I have ever heard in favour of the abolition of Guardians; not one of those present properly understood the matter, one or two confessed their ignorance and others displayed it. Moreover, this is a matter that the Board should have considered and arrived at a decision upon months ago; most of the boards throughout the country considered the matter at the end of October or the beginning of November last. There was one Board which considered the matter earlier than any other Board and decided all Boards should be abolished- and then retracted at the next meeting and decided they should not. As it is, Berwick Board has now put off discussing the question until July 19. There seems a chance that some decision may be arrived at then although it seems to me that the Board cannot spend its time to any purpose because the Reform is coming, whichever way they decide, and all they can usefully do is to suggest means of operating the new machinery.