THE RIVER.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 544, 14 October 1902, Page 3

THE RIVER.

(To the Editor of the Times.)' Sir,—The Harbormaster’s soundings are wholly misleading. Why is he not told to give low-water at neap-tides ? As the weakest link in a chain is the measure of its strength, so low-water is the dopth of a navigable river. If lowwator neaptide soundings were given, the public and the Board would know why passengers lately could not bo landed on the Gisborne wharf until 1 o’clock at night, having to wait for hours for the tido to enable the boat to come in. At the last meeting of tho Board, members laughed when told by the Chairman 11 that Mr King said he saw no reason why they could not have 18 feet of water in tho river but when told tho same thing by Mr Napier Bell the Board took it for gospel. Has it taken members 19 years, after spending hundreds of thousands of pounds, to have shaken their confidence in their silversmiths ? It is to bo hoped that during the next 19 years they will discover the fact that, although proclaimed to the contrary by all the Kings in Christendom, and carolled, chimed, and rung on ail tho Napier bells (the Gisborne bells included), the fact remains that the Turanganui river will never be permanently one inch deeper than it was when Captain Cook saw it, or when tho moa left the imprints of bis feet on the foreshore of its volcanic sand banks (the John Townleys notwithstanding). I am, etc., A. Y. Ross. P.S. —Is it a fact that the Board is liable to a penalty of £SO for the name “ John Townley, Gisborne ” being painted on the dredge—Gisborne not being a port of registry ?—A.Y.R.