The Daily Telegraph MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1882.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3482, 4 September 1882, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1882.

The prosperity of Hawke'a Bay is so dependent on the possession of a good harbor that every one will be glad to observe the interest taken in the subject by the settlers of Waipawa. If the public meeting that has been called by the chairman of the County Council to be held at Waipawa on Thursday next serves no other purpose than to keep the subject alive it will not be without benefit to the cause that every one has at heart. The harbor question has been a problem which the collective wisdom of all the local talents for the last five and twenty years has failed to solve. It is not likely therefore that much uew light will be thrown upon the subject next Thursday. The originating cause of the forthcoming meeting, we believe, was the idea in the minds of a few individuals tbat tbe agitation iv

Napier would provoke the Harbor Board to active measures which might result in a loan and a general rate. That was the fear which animated the good people of Wairoa, who, perfectly willing to secure any advantages that might be derived from the construction of a harbor here, strongly objected to be held liable for the payment of tbe interest on the cost. While they cried out lustily against their district being included within that of the harbor, they took no steps to get it cut off, nor to remove their representative from the Board. They were simply alarmed at the possibility of a rate, to be levied on account of a loan, which tbey blindly considered would be for tbe sole benefit of this town. They did not stop to inquire whether the loan would not be sufficiently reproductive to obviate tbe necessity for a rate; they did not ask themselves whether a good harbor would not raise the value of landed property, by enabling the establishment of industries that are now impossible through the absence of a harbor. No; they would rather be content with growing a few bales of wool, and keeping the land in the condition of a wilderness, than run the risk of a rate. They were poor, they argued, and could not afford extra taxation ; and they would prefer to remain poor and idle rather than encourage a movement that might change their poverty into riches, and compel activity in the place of idleness. There are people in this world who hate innovation. It is said of the early settlers of Otago that, had it been in their power, they would have prevented the development of the natural resources of the country, and made it penal to have dug for gold. The flood of " new iniquity " consequent on the discovery of gold was an abomination in the sight of the " old identity, - ' and there are men now to befound who think that Otago would be a happier jountry to live in if all the settlers were Scotchmen. And it is this sort of feeling-, we imagine, that prevails largely at Wairoa. The people there do not wish to be disturbed ; a good harbor at Napier would bring a lot of monied strangers into the country, who would want to buy land, and employ labor, and generally to upset the comfort of idleness. And we rather think that there was a little something of this feeling at the bottom of the first agitation for a public meeting at Waipawa. We think that feeling has now subsided, and that more loyal and sensible opinions prevail on the subject. We are under the impression that both town and country settlers are alike animated by the desire to obtain a harbor. There may be a difference of opinion as to tbe nature of the works to be undertaken, and, probably, all do not think alike with respect to tbe proper site for those works. But these points are matters of detail of comparatively minor importance to the great question before us. They cannot be settled by public meetings, and should not occupy their attention, because it is for their settlement that the Harbor Board has invited competitive designs. The meeting on Thursday will be watched with interest.