NAPIER HARBOUR WORKS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 624, 29 September 1909, Page 4

NAPIER HARBOUR WORKS

" ' ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE OF £270,000, ■ Illy Telcerapli.—Special CorrcsDondenl.l * ... I. Napier, September 28. An meeting of the Napier Harn bour Board was held this afternoon, when 0 the report was received of Messrs. Maxwell, y Williams, and: Mason; who wero selected as 1 an Advisory Board, to investigate and report _ upon Mr. George Nelson's proposal for dredgirig the inner harbour, and providing accomj modation for vessels of deep draught. Tho , engineers, reported adversely on Mr. Nelson's 0 scheme, and 'recommended that tho, board r should actively push on the breakwater har--1 bour. Mr. Nelson replied to tho engineers' - reports, stating that ho felt a sense of in- , justice, and ottered to spend 500 guineas out a of'his own pocket to. secure a report from - another engineer under certain conditions. - Mr. Carno!] moved .that tho report of the - engineers be considered satisfactory, and acted j upon. I _ Mr. Eagljcton seconded tho motion. i ' Mr. JulJ,'-.'who' is: recognised as tho leader - of tho country' party on..,the board, said he ) wished mbtioii'had not been quite ' so comprehensive, as .had .'it not been so it r might hava -sqeured the unanimous support; of E tho board, with tho minimum of friction. He i suggested that-Mr. Carnell should deleto that - portion of tho motion 'relating to tho report E being acted upon,- as this might open up largo ; questions. ----- • •' , After somo further discussion, the motion : was-carried. ;. _ Mr. M'Vay then moved: "That steps bo i taken forthwith to promote a Bill with a view i of getting legislative authority to carry out the work of the completion of tho breakwater harbour as recommended.by the engineers." i : The chairman (Mr. J. Vigor Brown, M.P.) slated that the next' session of .Parliament would probaoly.be a very busy one, and it was . essential ..that the board should loso no time; • •,'Mr. JuU .said-that the engineers estimated the Cost of completing the breakwater harbour at .£270,000. He thought that the board should raise' a loan of ..£350,000 to provide additional wharfage accommodation.. .. V 1 THe chairman said ho thought the wharfago . (tccqmmodntj(su--as:"proposod by tho engineers was'sufficients ~ Mi\. said he ~would! like to; see his motion carried as he had proposed, as he felt to"a,«k tho ["ratepayers - for the amount proposed by Sir. Jul! would imperil the loan. ■ The motiph was carried. Mr.'JuU slkt'd that at'the time of the poll on the, last loan considerable opposition was caused owing to the rating clauses. He moved that,., the rating clause be deleted from the present proposed Bill.. He : felt that if this proposal wero adopted, the board would have a. good deal less trouble in getting the -loan authorised. . Mr. Carnell' said 'there must be. rating clauses in the Bill because the present rates of the board were pledged. Somo sort of security had to'be offered to the money-lender. "The chairman moved as an amendment: "That-power, bo given in the proposed Bill to', levy a rate, the same as: in tho previous Bill, viz., double in the town that in the country." Speaking to tho amendment, the chairman ' urged tho : necessity ;of the board being-j'able to offer good becurity when borrow- >' irig money. . said lie thought tho board would . mako'; a mistake if. they .tried to float a loan with'• rating,'powers; '.This caused opposition in the country last time, 'and tho oppojition was still the.same., Mr. M'Vay hoped Mr. Jull would withdraw his motion in the meantime.' Ho said that "the - report of tho engineers was so overwhelm-ingly-favourable that he,thought the country settlers would, now support the breakwater. ~":Mr. Jull, then withdrew, his motion, but gave notice to-move to' the same effect at ■ tho next ■ meeting. jHe remarked, that no two combined harbour boards in Now Zealand had the ratlng poTors of the Napier Board, and urged thati .an effort. should first bo made to raiso : the loan without rating.. i" Jj l6 chairman's amendment was then carried. Mr.-George Nelson ...was thanked for the trouble lie had gone to,- and it yas decided to forward his letter to tho engineers for any ' .remarks they cared-to' make. ■ ,