THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 6, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 813, 6 March 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 6, 1871.

In continuation of our previous remarks «pon the question of applying the revenues of the Coal Reserve as an endowment for the special purpose of maintaining the harbor works, we may draw attention to the fact that the present protection works, good as they may be of their kind, are constructed of material of a very perishable nature. The Borough of Greynionth, by voluntary contributions of the inhabitants before the town was incorporated, by heavy local rates since, and by the application of money from other sources, has expended upon the present river embankment more than £8000, of which sum perhaps about half as been paid out of funds granted by the County Council. But the amount received by the Borough from the County Council has not been even an equivalent of its fair share of the general taxation which the town contributes to the County revenues. Mr Hoos has been guilty of a most disingenuous statement in telling the Colonial Secretary that the works in this town have been constructed out of County revenue, and we take this opportunity of exposing its falsity. But from whatever sources the cost of the river works has been defrayed, the fact remains that already over £8000 has been spent on works still incomplete, and which, in a few years, will he decayed. It seems to us that the temporising system upon which these works are being carried out is a great mistake, and a most costly one, too. To maintain the existing plan of wharfage and embankment a tremendous annual outlay is necessary, and must be continuous. But it may, with some show of reason, be replied that the Borough Cooncil, having no funds to enable it to construct a thorough permanent work cannot do more than go on patching and replacing as the wooden structure deteriorates. We grant this, and we say that as it is a matter of the first importance affecting the working of the coal reserve that the harbor works should be of the most efficient character, the two objects — that is to say the work--ing of the mine and the harbor works — should be associated together. What we mean by this is, that as the value of the coal reserve materially depends upon the facilities that exist at this port for the shipment of coal, the Government, in dealing with the Reserve, should devote any revenue that may accrue from it to the purpose of providing those facilities. It is of no use talking about the unYimilei quantity of coal that exists up the river if there are no proper means of sending ifc to a market. Even if a railway were laid down to Greymouth, very costly works would be necessary to enable the coal to be shipped readily. And further — if this port is ever to transact a large coal trade, improvements beyond those already effected will be needed to enable vessels of considerable tonnage to make use of the port. W« have sufficient evidence, by the result of the present temporary embankment, of the extent to which the water can be deepened by simply subjecting the current of the river to a fixed resistance at its bank, and there is no insuperable obstacle to this deepening process being carried ont as far as the mouth of the river. It is simply a question of expense, and that expense need not be beyond the means of defraying it. Few places in New Zealand are so fortunate as Greymouth in having close at hand an ample supply of the very best material for making a permanent embankment. The limestone cliff at the head of the town seems to have been specially intended by Nature for this very purpose. The rock is m situated that it can be detached in immense masses by blasting, at comparatively slight cost, and nothing hardly is necessary but a tramway, by which to bring down the stone and tumble it into the river. From enquiries we have made we believe that a permanent embankment of stone could be carried down to the mouth of the river for say £LO,OOO. Such an embankment would most probably create such a scour as to keep the channel of the bar constantly open, and of a sufficient depth to admit of vessels drawing 12ft or 14ft of water. On such a draught of water cargoes of from four to five hundred tons of coal could be carried. But such a work is out of the power as it is beyond the proper functions of the Borough Council. What is wanted is that the Govtrnment should consider the disposal of the whole Coal Reserve, and the improvement of the port as one mdi visable question, and deal with it accordingly. Indeed, the Government should go further, and in any action it may take with regard to the coal field on this side should interfere so as to make the Nelson mine similarly responsible for a proportion of the cost of harbor works. The two mines indeed should both be dealt with by the General Government, and we have r.o doubt that they could be leased at a good profit to private persons or a public company, and be the source of a large revenue for harbor purposes. We know of one association of capitalists who would invest £60,000 in working the mines, providing some satisfactory arrangement could be made. We hope the Borough Council, in communicating with the General Government, will urge in the strongest possible terms the necessity of applying the rents and royalties of the Coal Reserve to the work of improving and maintaining the navigation of the port. And we would again suggest that the Government should be asked to consider the proposal of establishing a Harbor Trust, and of vesting any endowment and the proceeds of shipping dues in that body. -We have every reason to hope that if a proper representation of the facts is made, the Government will have no objection to accept the suggestions made to it.