Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 3414, 30 January 1874, Page 2

Vt indirect the attention of all persons interested in the improvement of our harbor to the article in another column on harbor improvements at Cardiff. The observations with which the ‘Argus’ concludes its notice of those works are, so applicable to our own circumstances that we reprint them “In this -account r bf the wonderful transformation that has been effected in the town, port, and trade of Cardiff, within the last thirty-five to forty years, it is distinctly to be observed that all this is to be traced to the practical energy off one master mind, freed from the hereditary and antiquated prejudices of his order, and brought under the control of the dominant commercial spirit of the age. But that makes it little if any the less applicable to our case. We have low-lying lands around our port answering to the ‘Oar.iiff Fiats’ or ‘ East Mud,’ cadable of 1 , the same, transformation into commodious tidal basins and docks. We have the same means for carrying out works of this description in the present flourishing state of our revenue, or, if that should- be demurred to, we can raise them, and make the works self-supporting. At the same time it is of the utmost importance that what is done should be done well, and a great responsibly, therefore, rests on the gentlemen who, have been requested to advise the Government on this subject. They start on the principle that two Boards will be'required for effecting the necessary reforms at the port .of Melbourne—a marine board and a harbor trust. But that is only a small portion of whao will be demanded of them by the Government if they are to work out the details even in the veriest outline. With regark to the formation and establishment of a marine board for the management and control of the shipping of the port, they will probably find bo difficulty whatever in advising. Not so with a harbor trust, however, unless they prepare a draft bill for that purpose. What has been demanded of the Government in this respect is, ‘ that all important details in connection with the permanent improvement of the port of Melbourne should be left to a properly-consti-tuted body, such as a harbour trust, on which would rest the responsibility, not only of adopting plans, but of carrying out the works.”’