THE OUTER HARBOR BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2144, 29 July 1907, Page 2

THE OUTER HARBOR BILL.

AVAIAPIT’S ATTITUDE

INTERVIEW WITH MR. DE

LAUTOUR.

Mr. C. A. Do Lautour, who has been championing Waiapu’s case 1,1 regard to tho Outer Harbor Bill, re- j turned from Wellington on Saturday. I A Times representative waited upon Mr. Do Lilli tour to ascertain tlm latest news concerning Waiapu’s atti- I tude on tlio rating question. “Waiapu’s attitude is most uncompromising,” was tlio manner in which I Mr. Do Lautour summed up tlio posi- I tioii He stated that the proposal to I include Waiapu in tlio rating area I would ho fought right through, and ovidonco would bo tendered before I the Local Bills Committoe to show 1 tlie injustice of it. They had a good I deal of support, und ho did not think there was tlio slightest chance of the I Bm passing in its present form. Tlio newspaper man pointed out | that there was an impression abroad 'that the amendments favored by the Harbor Board would "fcond to concili- I ato tlioso who wore opposed to tlio original measure. Tho concession now made is, in offect, to absolve Waiapu from rates for three years after the passing of_tho Enabling Act, and to colloct rates direct from tho Harbor Board office in lieu of holding outsido Councils responsible for liativo rates. Mr. Do Lautour could not speak of Mr. Lysnar’s authority for suggesting this as a compromise, but emphasised that it would make no difference whatever. Waiapu’s hostility was based on tho fact that tlieir district

would, not boiiefit by the outer harbor, and they would doterminodly oppose any rate whatever. Mr. Do Lautour "thought Mr. Ngata had only

mount to convey that if the Euro poans consented to their lands being rated tho natives would do likewise. Questioned as to Waiapu’s contents m that it would not benofit by the harbor scheme, Mr. Do Lautour said tl'.aJ its geographical position was the strong argument, The district was served by a number of small roadstead harbors, and Gisborne did not form tho distributing centre for the coast. Tho coast tapped the same source of supply as Gisborne, namely, Auckland. All the boats that touched at tho coastal ports were laden with. Auckland goods. “It would be more reasonable, in my opinion,” sa>d Mr. Do Lautour, “for Auckland to claim assistance from Waiapu, in regard to rating, than for Gisborne to do so.” Waiapu did its business witn Auckland, which was as much a terminus for all the small craft trading on the coast as Gisborne was. He admitted that in course of time when flio Home boats opened up a large)' direct trade here, Gisborne would be more of a distributing centre. ‘ But that time was a long way off yet, and he considered Auckland would remain tho principal port for coast import trade. The southern boundary of the district, ho explained, i n answer to further questions, is about 45 miles north. The coast is served by the Waipare roadstead; Tokomaru, where flic settlers are putting in their own wharves; Waipiro Bay, where at the southern extremity land is reserved for freezing works; Tuparoa, which also is fairly well sheltered on the south; Port Awanui, ICawakawa, and Hick’s Bay. The argument that the district is exporting frozen meat is a fallacy, Mr. Do Lautour continued. All the principal farmers in Waiapu have to sell their sheep in store condition, because they cannot profitably deliver them in Gisborne. The only exception is i n a few cases where farmers in the north have properties in Cook County suitable for resting and “topping-off” stock. From Waiapu proper there is practically no trade in frozen mutton. The distance is too great, and drovers find that with the fences along the route there is not sufficient feed for travelling stock. “It must be remembered,” remarked Mr. Do Lautour, “that an outer harbor is a work that will take, say, tun years to complete. That huge district inland of Waiapu will be settled and opened long before then, and the flocks will have doubled in number. At no distant date, and long before the outer harbor is completed, the freezing industry will be commenced in -tills northern district, and must have an outlet somewhere between Hick’s Bav and Tokomaru. So it if not likely that Waiapu will sit still and be rated for a work which, for export trade purposes, will not be of the slightest benofit to them. For 21 years the Waiapu people have paid rates on the 1884 loan for the Gisborne river harbor, which has been of very little use to anybody, certainly no use to Waiapu for the reasons I have stated. There has been a feeling all along that the district should not be included in the rating area, and they are not willing to repeat the experiment. The people feel that they have quite enough rating to bear as it is, for roads and bridges, and, also, at Tokomaru, for the new wharves.” The reporter brought up the argument re the port of Gisborne being used for the wool exports. Mr. De Lautour said this had very little bearing on the subject. The coastal wool was brought down by the Haupiri and Captain Skinner’s scow. It was merely loaded on to the large vessels i n the roadstead. When no big steamer happened to be in port A was carried on to Napier by the Haupiri. An outer harbor would mean no increased facilities for Waiapu. On the contrary it would probably mean more handling and expense, as the wool would have to be auded, stored, and re-shipped. Would that be any advantage? He pointed out that the Gisborne harbor was imjnaterial to Waiapu for this reason. Lh* small boats must be depended on for Waiapu’s exports. AVherever the large vessels put in the coastal boats them—it did not make much difference to tho consignors whether it was Napier, Gisborne, or Auckland Jlrom your experience in Wellington last week, can you approximately gauge the feeling in regard to. the ijiii. asked the reporter. have a good case,” replied *'j 7,° “and expect to sueceed. Logically tho position would be looked at in this way: If the financial outlook of the Gisborne Harbor Board, in connection with the scheme, is such as represented to be (in the addenda to the Bill), there is no necessity to include Waiapu in the rating area ; if on the other hand tli e position is not as represented, members will probably come to the conclusion that the Harbor Board should take more time to consider the question .

Mr. Do Lautour added that only o'ie afternoon a week is devoted to private Bills in Parliament, and as a ride opposed local Bills have to stand down until near the end of the session, when the Government grant an extra day for consideration of this class of business. “On the whole,” concluded Mr. D© Lautour, “if the opposition of AVaiapu has to he continued, as it undoubtedly will, I don’t see any chance of the Bill getting through both Houses this session.” He anticipates that it will he two or threo weeks before the Bill is reported from committee. Evidence is to bo tendered by Mr. Sherwood, a member of the AVaiapu Council, who went to AA r ellington at the Council’s request, and a number of other substantial ratepayers.