WANGANUI INDIGNANT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1284, 13 November 1911, Page 4

WANGANUI INDIGNANT.

THE DEPARTMENT AND THE HARBOUR BOARD. (By TolcErajih.—Special Correspondents Wanganui, November 11. Tho Government's latest act towards the Wangamii Harbour Board has caused a great deal of disgust and indignation. It will be remembered that some months ago, after lengthy negotiations and many disputes, the- board notified the Railway Department that it intonded to resume, control of the town wharf in February next. The Department took no notico of the board's letter for three months, and then, a week ago, suddenly presented the Ijoard with an ultimatum that it would give up the wharf not at tho time the board requested, but in a week. Though suspecting bluff, the board accepted the position, but protested against (he Department's discourtesy, and at the same timo asked that the Department's staff, which had beeu working tho wharf, be allowed to continue for three months, till the. board could make the necessary appointments of its own staff. Nothing was heard of the matter again till yesterday afternoon, when the board received the following telegram: "District Traflic Manager has been instructed to communicate, with the secretary of the board, so that satisfactory arrangements may bo made, as I understand the board has neither sheds nor ridings, all of wliieh will require to bo arra.ngod for before you can tako tho work in hand yourselves." This telegram is signed, not by tho head of Hie Department, bn't by ilio Hon. J. A. Millar, M.inistor for Railways. Its significance further lios in the fact that while the board owns the wharf the Railway Department owns the adjacent shed, as well as the rails on tlio wharf, and while the term "satisfactory arrangements" affords n loophole for tho Government, the tenor of the te-logram, together with the Department's attitude throuphout tho whole affair, makes poople/ think that the whcJe matter is an attempt by the Government to bluff the board into allowing it unrestricted control of the situation. Tliis view is strengthened by the fact that tho Government lra-s given no reply to the board's request re the staff, and lias not given even the merest hint that it will help the lxiard in tho matter of staff or sheds till new arrangements can l)c made. In short, lo qiinto a remark of one local merchant, "It is a case of all right, go ahead, and tea how yon can got on without shells." Rightly or_ wrongly, such is also the popular opinion, wliieh is recalling (ho Government's attitude over the Harbour Board Empowering Hill in the Iloure recently, when, after the I'lviuier advising the local niemlier to slick to his guns, tlio Government took no steps to lack him up, but allowed its supporters, as ono Harbour Board nitMnh<r put it, "to desert Mr. Hognii aud go homo (e bod." In any easi\ the Government's latest treatment of the Harbour Board lifts Dot strengthened its position here.