The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1888. TROUBLE IN TARANAKI.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1743, 18 January 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1888. TROUBLE IN TARANAKI.

Although m the case of some of the smaller harbors — notably Timaru and Oamaru — the attempt to convert open roadsteads into safe and commodious harbors has resulted entirely successfully, we fear that m the rage for artificial harbor-making which set m when the prospects ot the colony were at their brightest, Parliament was led into sanctioning schemes which will turn out disastrously to all concerned. We know that a good many thousands of pounds were thrown away at Moeraki and Kakanui, that a railway to the former place has long been disused, that the costly viaduct is twisted out of symmetry by the force of the scp, and [that the jetty, built m tbe wrong place [and altogether m the wrong way, has fallen in' o desuetude, while atthelaUer every vestige of what was once a training wall, or mole, at the river mouth, bac disappeared m the ocean. But these were after all small affairs and for a right down first-class failure we have, it appears, to turn to New Plymouth. Not that the woiks at that place (erected, we believe, under the superintendence of Mr Goodall, whose success at Timatu is undoubted) have carried away, but if we are to accept literally what we find m a speech delivered by Mr Bayly, at Waitara, about a fortnight ago there are 14 or 15 teet of sand accumulating about it which Mr Bayly thinks accounts for its immunity from destiuction, b#t which certainly does not promise well for the long maintenance of deep anchorage within its shelter. More than that, for it ie added that it " has more than once been patched wp and repaired at great cost." But that is perhaps nof the worst feature of tbe case, for it seem* that there is not the trade at ]New Plymouth to justify t^e putlay, and that ' the charges rendered nectary to #»eet (so far as possible) the Interest on the loan are so high that the settlers would be better off without tbe harbor works

tban with them. Worse still, even with all that can be raised m this way it is clearly .hown by th_ repcit of the Parliamentary v_ommit ttee on the subject which sat last session, that the Harbor Board cannot hope to meet its engagements for more than a year longer at furthest, while the rate levied on the lands of the district is discouraging, if not altogether stopping the extension of settlement, and pressing with great severity upon the unhappy people already m the district. Many ol these it was shown use the Waitara and Patea rivers as the outlet for their produce, and from the first dissented from the proposal to borrow for harbor works at New Plymouth. Yet they were over-iuled, and although assured that a rate would never be levied, or at least not for more than twenty years, are now being compelled to pay that rate. It is true that the difficulty to a large extent arises from the discontinuance of sales of land for cash (of the proceeds ot which by law 35 per cent goes into the harbor fund), but the explanation is not by any means a compensation to the aggrieved settlers. Mr Bayly, who is a considerable land-owner at Waitara, has just submitted to distraint upon his effects rather than voluntarily pay wbat he regards as an unjust impost, and m tbe course of a speech, which he made after the sale of his goods by the Court bailiff, spoke as follows :— ( ' As you are aware, the Waitara people from the first strongly Objected to be rated (hear, hear), basing their objec tions on these grounds — We had a harbor of our own, which suited our purpose, and with which we are satisfied, that New Plymouth would be a rival port, and that the breakwater was not necessary. On the other hand Hie New Plymou thites contended that it was necessary, and that the Waitara add Patea rivers were not sufficient for the requirements of the coast. I then pointed out that financially the. New Plymouth harbor would never be a success. The grounds upon which I based my opinion were these: First,. Patea and Waitara rivers offered suffi* cient facilities for their own local work. Hawera and other inland settlements could suit themselves, using eiifcir port as it suited them : and I pointed out very clearly that these two ports, ridiculed by New Fly mouth, would rob their great harbor of its trade. And what is the result? They have, as predicted, done the greater part of the trade. (Hear, hear.) In fact, their exports, consisting of wool, tallow, timber, cattle, and sheep, far exceed double those shipped fiom the Breakwater. In the one case the settlers are not rated a farthing. In the other a rate of has been levied, the hardship arising from which you have just witnessed. My goods being sacrificed to meet the claim, a piano costing two years ago £$$ realising 36; two silver cups, won by my sons m Auckland and Sydney respectively, realising also the handsome sum of ss. There is a gold watch and chain, owned by my wife, costing ,£3O, which realised the miserable pittance of t> 3 jin fact, all my furniture and effects, costing me upwards of realised the magnificent amount of £75, and this notwithstanding we had been most p6»itively assured by Mr Thomas King a6d his confreres (<he Chairman and members of tbfi New Plymouth Hartidr Board) that we should never be called upon to pay a rate. Messts Elliot, Lawrence, and myself pointed out at the meeting, held at Waitara, that a rate was inevitable, and that we should be required to pay before very long. We were flatly contradicted, and told that we were only creating factious opposition. I now ask where are the men from New Plymouth who have burdened us with this rate ? My wife and daughter are this day driven from their home unable to witness the sacrifice of their belongings. Where are those men who have brought this upon me ? Can it be tbat they are ashamed to be living witnesses of the hardships and indignities brought about by their untruthful statements." After pointing out that the direct result of the work with the consequent .rate bad depre ciated the value of property m the district, Mr Bayley went on to say — " I feel assured before long we shall see whole families driven from their homes, roofless and penniless," And he concluded by the following, very significant remark:" — This, time I have given no trouble, but if this sort of thing continues, and I can find men like minded with myself, wo shall m the future go to the utmost extremity, and defend our property with our lives." Evidently matters are approaching an awkward crisis up Taranaki way, and the worst of it is that we fear this is not the only quarter m which reckless harbor expenditure is likely to lead to unforeseen and unpleasant complications.

A. Wairarapa journal proposes that a atatue Mr E « G. Ctaveley (for New Zealand flhould bo erectad m honor of Major Atkinson. }•?«? »°. d Mercantile Agency Company. Limited), reports on the Tinwald sale on The tin mine at Mount Biaohofl, Tasmania, 37th inst :-V*ry small entries of stock has paid 129 dividends aggregating £816.000, came forward, and the att-ndanca w.-s