A HARBOUR RATE.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 104, 19 May 1937, Page 4

A HARBOUR RATE.

Tbe regret ftipressed by tbe cbairman of the Napier Harbour Board at having to anaouuce the need for levying' a rate, in order to balance the current financial year's working account, will no doubs' be fully shared by the, ratepayers and the public generally. The re•luctance with which this xecourse has been taken can be quite well appreciated and the feeling of disappointment it must naturally occasion will be common to alh The rate in itself is nothing very formidable so long as the assurance given by the chairman that it is only of a temponaxy nature. is well based. In this respect it would uo .doubt greatly strengthen his position and allay any misgivings on the part of the ratepayers if the report of the Finance Commillee showing the need for imposing the rate were made public. This report, which, we understand. was discussed in committce and is thns so far not available to the press, would .probably do a good deal to clear the air and let the ratepayers know precisely the unforseen factors which have necessitated the rate. Perhaps the chairman may xecognise the propriety of following this course. Beyond this, in the course of proceedings in open meeting figuits were cited which cannot but have naised somo doubt as to whether. * with the financial resources in sight. it will Be practicable to carry out the scheme as laid before the ratepayers. On this pbii:. too, it might be well if the chairman would issue some comprehemdvo statement showing all the funds that were made available for the execution of the works, the amount already spent and a more or less detailed estimate of the cost, under present c onditions, of completing . the scheme. , This would enable the public to understand the situation as it has developed and perhaps abate some of the disappointment that cannot but have been occasioned. It is obvious that a stage has beeu reached when the position should be fully xeviewed and the ratepayers apprised as to how matters actually stand. By doing this the chairman would doubtless assure himself of the sympathy he seekB in the difficulties that have arisen from causes over which he says the Board had no control— -among them the rise in wages, fhe shortening of working hours and an apparently xather- unf ortunate choice of contractora for some of the major parts of the scheme. ■ »