HARBOR IMPROVEMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 3483, 22 April 1874, Page 2

HARBOR IMPROVEMENT.

A meeting of the General Committee was held in the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon, Mr E. B. Cargill presiding. Ihe Chairman stated that a sub-commit-tee had previously been appointed to procure information oa the matter of the Harbor Improvement, and the best method of cettmg this carried out. The printed report had bean before the public some tithe, and it was fer the meeting to receive that' report, and to state what steps should be taken to carry out the object in view.* Letters apologizing for their non-attendance were read from Mr R Gillies and Mr Leary. Mr K. B. Martin then moved—“ That this Committee receives and approves of the report drawn up by the sub-oommittoe, and recommend it tor the careful perusal of the public.

Mr Prosser seconded. Ho thought the mover should add-'* And that the thanks of tins Committee are due to the sub-oom-nuttee for the valuable report which they had submitted to this meeting; and further that the' thanks of the Committee be aocorded to the professional gentlemen for having rendered their services gratuitously.?' The motion as amended was then carried." Mr Larnach was called upon to move the next resohition, viz., “That his Worship the Mayor be requested to call a public meeting of the citizens to consider what action should be taken towards parrying on the

proposed barbos improvements ; and'that tne sub-committee be requested to frame resolutions, and obtain movers and seconders tor them; and generally to make all 'the necessary arrangements.” There could be no doubt, if they wished to see Dunedin what it ought to be—a second Glasgow—they would have to make vast improvements. Railways would never be sufficient for the requirements of trade, and the questxou before the meeting was one of ■ momentous importance. Iu answer to a question, the Chairman said that he understood the object of the meeting was simply to receive the report, ihe plans would be a matter for future consideration.

Mr Larnach did not think it would be proper for the meeting to indicate its opinion as to whether it wou.d be in favor of a Trust or Government doing the work. Mr Turnbull was very anxious to see the work proceeded with, and considered the report well and carefully compiled, with r u a T ab ! e Bu §S es tionß. , He did not Tr L W w? Was done by Government or J-rust, but he would like to see the work carried out in the best manner. »/r^ t9r (liscusßio “i on the suggestion of Mr M Neil, the word “generally* was inserted m the first resolution before the word approve.”

Mr Burt would show that there wore only three ways in which the work could be earned out, viz., by public company. byGovernm® a,J d by Harbor Trust, and he considered the meeting should hj i unanimous as to which of the three they would recommend, hj or hia own part he would vote for the latter, would be most economical, and most liable to push the work forward, whilst a public company was not popular, and if loft to the Government, ho felt most strongly that the work would nerer carried out, The work had been initiated by Government some nma or ten years ago, and ought to have been completed ere this, at any rate before the Port Chalmers Kailway.

Mr Tsw3L»t thought that both the public and ckd committee would sooner boo* tkd matter left in the bauds of a Harbor Trust ** the hands of the Government. A.l- - there were financial reasons why it should be left with the latter, there were special.reasons why it should not be placed in their bauds. They had been on the subject for the last Bissau hut hsfi nut

even collected the information then before the committee, Much works were carried on both in Britain and the Coufnent by Harbor Trusts. • The matter was referred for discussion at the public meeting, which was fix d for Monday evening, if possible, if not, on Tuesday.