ANTICIPATING A POLL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2004, 11 March 1914, Page 8

ANTICIPATING A POLL.

WANCANUI HARBOUR MATTERS. (By .Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) ' Wansariul, March 10. ' Tho Harbour Board, having practically finished all work in .connection with viihe old programme, and the loan poll for tho.oxtensipil of harbour works not haying been' held yet, was faced at its last monthly meeting with tho prospect of having to disband its quarry staff. As tho loan poll will'not bd'held till about six weeks' time, and as gotting together .1 new staff,of expert quarry men would 1)!> a matter of ■ somo difficulty, the board dissussed the advisability of aritiripntin<r tho success of the loan poll, and of setting tho men to work as if it had actually been carried. An enormous quantity of stone will bo required for tho extension of tho moles and other works, and tho engineer -lias advised that the board should test the extent, of the Kaiwhaki limestone reofs and develop them to a certain extent in advance, thus findirig employment for tho men for a portion of this time. Tho country mombors, when soeakint. urged that tho men should bo kopt 011, and gavo rtratifving information that instead' of tiio expected apposition to the loan in the country districts, there would bo practicallv 110110.-' and that tho poll was suro to bo carried. ■ Tho board decided to- defer the matter till it had made an inspection of tho quirrics. This was carried out to-day, and on returning to town this afternoon the board mofc again, and decided to authoriso tho engineer to omnloy all men nossihlfl for tho testing of the roof, and talco such steps as is necessnry to Keep tho staft together. This will he given effect to at once, and by tho timo that the loan (as is honed , ) is- carried, the best part of the preliminary work ;» connection with thp estrnded scheme will have boon do-no. Should tho k™ not ho approved, the cost.will. it is said, not hn excessive, and tho work done will still be useful for tho current requirements of tho board. -