WANGANUI HARBOUR.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2203, 16 July 1914, Page 9

WANGANUI HARBOUR.

DEEP SEA BERTHAGE. GOVERNMENT RESERVE ASKED FOR, Possession of an area of foreshore land at OastlecUff fronting tho proposed deep-water basin is regardod by tho Waiiganui Harbour Board as essential to the prosecution of its harbourimprovement programme, since otherwise it woiild have no proper access to tho berthage which is to be provided for ooean-going steamers. Tlie area in question consists of about four acres, and is at present vested in the Government for harbour purposes. On Tuesday a deputation'representing the Harbour Board was introduced to the Prime Minister by Mr. W. A'. Veitoh, M.P., and asked that the land should be handed over to the board. Mr. C. E. Mackay, a member of tlio Harbour Board, said that it was absolutely necessary for the purposes of the ocean-giong accommodation to bo provided by the board that the piece of land owned by the Government should bo handed ovor. Othorwiso tho hoard could not get access to their own floats ing basin. The land was held in trust by the Government for the purposes of a' signal station, but had not yet been put to any public uso _ At present tho signal station was maintained by_ the board, which woii'd continue to maintain it even if it should bo necessary to remove it to tl)e area for which the board was now asking. Mr. Mackay mentioned that there had been a good doal of correspondence with the Government over the possession of' an extent of wharf frontage at the town of Wanganui. This the Government had. secured, although thero Was no 'doubt that in ordinary course it would have been vested in the Harbour Board. There could be no question that the board was en-, titled to the area at) Castleoliff. Mr. Mackay apologised for the absence of Mr. W. J. Poison, a country representative on the Harbour Board, who would have taken an opportunity, had he been 'able to attend, of expressing the country •people's acquiescence in the request advanced by the deputation. ) , : Mr. Veitch remarked that the transferof the land would necessitate special legislation,; prohably a clause in tho' ■\Vashing-up Bill. ' ' In this Mr. Massey concurred. , Mr. T. Boswell Williams Mayor of Wanganui and a member of 'the Harbour Board, pointed out'that they were. not asking for the wholo of the reserve, hit -\vore leaving it to the Government to retain a portion.in case it might be re.quired in future forj any other purpose.? The board-was asking only for ■what.it a.bsolutelv required in the meanThey could not provide for the berthing of ocean liners without obtaining possession of this piece of land. Mr. J. C. Paterson, a country representative on the.Harbour Board," strongly supported the request of tho deputation: ... The Prime Minister said that if tho area asked, for were ordinary Crown land he would have told them that they coiild have it, but he had sometimes promised' to hand over a piece of, land in similar circumstances and afterwards found that there were insuperable difficulties in. the way. He would look'into the position arid.let them know the'result. The land,, he,remarked, was evidently under the control of the Marine Department, but nothing had been done with it up ■to the present. '. ?