THE OUTER HARBOR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2035, 21 March 1907, Page 2

THE OUTER HARBOR.

DEPUTATION TO THE MAYOR. A deputation, consisting of Mosers, iv. L. Rocs (spokesman), W. L. Clayton, Webb, Wilde, A. F. Matthews, and D. Barry, waited on the Mayor (Dir. J. Townley) at the Borough Council Chambers yesterday afternoon in connection with tlie outer harbor scheme.

Mr Roes stated that a private meeting of about twenty representative business men bad been bold in reference to tho outer harbor, and in view of tlio Borough Council elections coming on they formed themselves into a committee called tho Outer Harbor Committee to watch over the matter. The siib-coininittco there present had been appointed to meet His Worship and ask him some questions relative to the question. Ho thought lhat neither the members of the Harbor Board nor the members of other public bodies exactly knew how excited the public mind was on the matter. The feeling in favor of an outer harbor had boon growing for a long time, and it was now very strong. He thought that Parliamentary voters and voters for all the public bodies were in favor of all outer barber. Reports of recent Harbor Hoard discussions on tlie outer harbor had not inspired confidence in the people of tho town and the. surrounding district. Tho desire of the conimittco was to got specific answers to its specific questions. Tho mere generalities mentioned at the. Harbor Board meetings as to the building of the harbor had not satisfied the public. Not one of those who were asked to attend the meeting to form the committee had failed to he present, although one or two who did not, know the object of tho committee would not have themselves placed on it,; but tlie business people of the town were unanimous that the committees"should be formed and should give every assistance towards getting the harbor built. There were two questions to bo asked. It was not very pleasant to have to as!; a man to pledge liirn--elf to anything, blit tlie subject was so important that the committee felt that there should he a straight issue before the public on which the Mayoral election might he contested. Tlio Mayor must occupy an important position on tho Harbor Board. He and the Chairman of the Comity Council represented so many voters that their opinions must carry much weight. The questions to he asked were: “If Mr Townley will pledge himself to use every endeavor’to get an enabling Bill placed before the public before tlie opening of the next session so that this Bill shall be placed before Parliament during tlie coining session; and if Mr Townley will pledge himself to use every endeavor to lay a scheme for the outer harbor before the ratepayers within, say, one month of the receipt -of the consulting engineer’s report.” Tlio committee knew that the consulting engineer’s report would not be received for some time, but it would bo possible to have the enabling Bill prepared, on condition that it might be altered when the consulting engineer’s report was received. All they wanted was a Bill authorising the formation of tlio"harbor. Before the harbor could bo erected machinery was wanted, and the most essential part of that machinery was a Bill allowing the work to proceed when the ratepayers so desired. The consulting engineer’s report might vary in some degree from that of Mr Marcluint, but the committee was anxious that the scheme approved by the Harbor Board should be laid before ratepayers within a month of the receipt of lor Wilson’s report so that it could be thoroughly discussed and, if approved, acted on at once. Tho committee' felt that it would be greatly to their advantage if the Mayor of the town supported them unreservedly. They wished that tlie outer harbor should be a cardinal point in the future operations of the Board. They did not ask for a pledge that the work should be done, but merely asked for pledges on the matters dealt with in the questions submitted. • Tho scheme laid before the ratepayers could be that of Mr Marcluint or Mr "Wilson, or a combination of both. He did not think one could go anywhere without bearing expressions of opinion in favor of tho outer harbor except a few country residents who objected to tlie rates being increased. Tho committee wished a pledge that the outer harbor would be erected as quickly as possible. This was the most important question now before the public —the extension of the railway was a comparatively small question. The deputation was emboldened to ask the questions submitted because they felt that such a great, rich, rising district as this was should not be without a deop-water harbor. Mr Townley acknowledged that tlie matter placed before him was of utmost importance to tlie district. Tho sea must always be Gisborne’s chief highway—they would never have any great inland trade. As to Mr Rees’ remarks as to the tone of recent Harbor Board meetings regarding the outer harbor not being satisfactory it had to be remembered' that the question was not really before the Board. The discussion was altogether out of place and he had endeavored to stop members discussing it. The questions which had been put were very important and required more thought than could be given them on a moment’s notice. He did not want a false start in connection with this harbor as they had on the last occasion. It struck him that it would be out of place to ask for a Bill before tlio plans were ready. Money was borrowed for a specific purpose, and that purpose, could not be stated without the plans. It had been proved by their previous experience that the plans wore necessary before a Bill could be prepared. If he pledged himself as asked to do by the first question be would pledge himself to something lie could not carry out. The work was given as security for the loan, and ill the Bill it would be necessary to state specifically wliat the proposed work was. When the matter came before the other members of the Board lie felt sure they would be found to be of this opinion. If the consulting engineer held Mr Marchant’s scheme to bo practicable that would form the ground-work for the enabling Bill. That the Harbor Board had got Mr Marcliant to report on the harbor and Mr Wilson to check that report was sufficient earnest of the Board’s intentions in the matter. The plans had cost £IOOO, so that there could be no doubt that the harbor would be constructed. He thought tlio whole of tlie members of tlie Board were in favor of the outer harbor; but they wanted to know before they took any action that the harbor would be one to which all vessels might come and which would be safe. He did not want to make a mistake with the Bill, and when it was uncertain if the scheme would lie proved to be practicable they could see that it was no light matter to answer the first question. In regard to the second question it had to be remembered that the Harbor Board discussions took somo time, and lie thought therefore that the time allowed was altogether too short. The Board would meet the moment the consulting engineer’s report came to hand and consider the results of liis investigations. If the report was found satisfactory and the advice given found to be sound there seemed no reason why the work should not go on as soon ns the necessary plans were prepared. The time given was altogether too short, and he hoped the people of the district

would not rush into the scheme without considering wliat they were getting. Last time they liiul to get a validating Hill because they had borrowed tins money and thou altered the plans. If ho had been asked if he was in favor of the outer harbor he would have replied that he was —that as the sea was the town’s chief highway they should have the host possiblo harbor. ' The idea in retaining the consulting engineer was to ascertain if the harbor coidd lie got for the amount of money set down for it, and if the harbor when Iniilt would answer the purpose for which it was erected. The Hoard wanted those questions settled before going to the public wjtli a scheme. The plans would have to ho submitted to the Marine Department first and when approved the Bill could ho passed. From the first he had been against the harbor being where it was at present. He had contended that if they wanted a harbor they should go outside the influence of tho t ide; but bo bad been unsuccessful. They now wanted a harbor with a depth of 40 feet. One tiling that had to he considered was the increasing size of steamers. This made it advisable to look before leaping—,thc steamers might increase still more in size. Whether he was a member of the Harbor Board or not be would still take an interest ill tho harbor, ami lie hoped to see Gisborne successful in getting improved harbor conveniences.

Mr Roes rose again to explain a fow matters. 'Hie Act for the first harbor was passed- to enable tho building of a harbor of refuge for deep-sea shipping. There was no fault in tho Act—it was the fault of the Harbor Board who had used the money for river works. The ratepayers voted the money for a deepsea harbor. He violently opposed the action at the time, lie had not said anything since, but the time for action had now arrived. Mr Townlcy was right in his contention about the preparation of plans. Since the action of the Gisborne Harbor Board in diverting its funds, the standing orders of the House of Representatives demanded that a plan should accompany every loan Bill. Ho hold that the plan prepared by Mr Marchan was sufficient for the purpose, and it' could he altered in the House as might be desired, with/ tho approval of the Marino Department. All the preliminary arrangements could he made so that when Mr Wilson's report came to hand the work could be proceeded with at once. There was no question of rushing into the thing—nothing could be done without tho vote of the ratepayers. 'Hie passing of the Bill would only enable the work to be done when the ratepayers had approved it, but the voting could not cause tho building of the harbor without the Act. He was glad to see that Air Townley was in favor of what they wished to get 22 years ago—a deep-sea harbor. He hoped Air Townley would give the questions serious consideration and let the committee have a written reply as soon as possible. It was the unanimous wish of the people of the town that the members of the Harbor Board should be pledged to the building of the outer harbor. A vote of thanks to Air Townley concluded the meeting.