WANGANUI HARBOUR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1357, 7 February 1912, Page 4

WANGANUI HARBOUR.

— « UNION CO. SERVICE OFFERED. (Bj TclccraDU.—SDDcial CorresDondenU Wanganui, February 6. Harbour matters continue- to create a good deal of interest here, and there is ii revival of tho "harbour-in-towu" agitation, though in much 'modified form, as iigainst the Harbour Beard's expressed determination to concentrate its energies on Castlocliff for the pro-cut. . It appears that several business men interested ascertained that the Union Company was willing to send vessels of their "K" class, of about 200(1 tons, hero to trade with other parts of New Zealand and with Australia, if enough water was available to enable them to land cargo in town. . ' .

Those vessels could work tho bar easily onough, and discharge nt Cnstlecliff, but the cost of railage from thence to town is such as to render the proposition nonpayable, and as there is not sufficient water in the river channel for them, the matter is for the present hung up. In consequence there is a strong feeling among business men that the Harbour Board should at oneo undertake the dredging of the river to at least a depth of 17ft. at low water, in place of between Uft. and 15ft. as now.

The Chamber of Commerce lengthily debated tho matter last night, and set up a committee to wait on tlio board, mid lay a proposal to the above effect jjeforo that body. The board's attitude is that the present small dredge cannot do (he work in less than thite yea re, and at considerable cost. As tho purchase of .a large dredge on the most np-to-dnto lines forms an item in (lie board's scheme for future works, it is considered that dredging at the present juncture is inadvisable, ns a new dredge will do the work nt less cost and in such time as to be finished as soon as the small dredge.

The fruition of the board's scheme depends chiefly- upon the passing of the. Empowering Bill, through Parliament. But there is much opposition to (lie Hill in the country districts on account of what is deemed tlio inequitable rating urea, and t« some extent the discrepancies in tho figures of the advising engineers. It is considered probable, hiwever, that, these difficulties will be over-, come, and that within the next five years' bi" sloniiiers will be able to load at Castleclitr and vessels of 2000 tons at the town, which is a considerable, but judicious, modification nf the anibiticils sthenic for the berthngc of big steamers at town, put forward some twelve months ogo.