CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2001, 9 February 1907, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

HARBOR MATTERS

To the Editor of the Gisborne Times. Sir, —I have read with great interest your leader in Tuesday’s issue, dealing with the views of the various candidates for seats on the Harbor Board, and think there is a good deal that remains to be said in view of the position you have taken up with regard to the candidature of Mr Charles Gray. In his published address Mr Gray says that he is not ir. favor of the. outer harbor, “until it can be clearly shown that it will not result in an increase of port charges and a greater burden on the ratepayers.” Surely this is the clearest and plainest common sense. You tacitly admit that opposition based on this ground will be effective “for many years to come” ; thereby also admitting that port charges and rates will be heavier also for a like period. If this is to be the prospect, where is the sense or reason for rushing for the new proposal in such a hurried and thoughtless manner, and where is the advantage to be gained? It is quite an open question as' to whether, given the proposed harbor, the captains of the big boats would come alongside in all weathers, and if not where is the great gain? Look at Napier. Do not let us forget—as some of the candidates are evidently far too anxious and willing to forget —the woeful failure of our first venture in this line, and the bitter experience we have had ever since in paying rates year by year for very small proportionate advantage. You forget, or possibly never knew, that Mr Gray is a man of long continued practical nautical experience, and therefore liis opinion is of additional value: It is obviously for the general welfare of the district that such questions as the momentous one o f a deep sea, harbor should be thoroughly ventilated and properly discussed from all sides before being finally decided on, and this you are doing your utmost to avoid. ' The present Board are nearly all, except Mr Clark, amateur marine engineers of great ability in their own estimation —Mr Whinray feels himself qualified to contradict a tried expert like Mr Mareliant,though how he is so qualified it is hard to see—and the rest of them, with the exception above noted, are equally sure o f their expert knowledge, so much so that the Board’s discussions would be extremely amusing and almost comic if they did not result in actions so serious to the ratepayers. It is high time all this nonsense was ended and the Board ceased from being a laughing-stock to the public, and it is for this reason as well as for that of proper businesslike discussion and consideration of the serious problems now before the Board that we want the best men available, and I therefore venture to hope that the country ratepayers will return Mr Gray as one of their members.—l am, etc., HOWARD KENWAY.