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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 113, 8 May 1863, Page 3

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times. Sie, —As the excitement of the Council sittings has passed away, perhaps it will not bo considered out of place again to call attention to the doings of that august body, who have distinguished themselves as statesmen by the measures they brought forward and passed in the last session. Among the bills passed in the Council, the one introduced by the member for Napier, Mr. J. A, Smith, particularly demands attention, as we find it was necessarily the result of accident, and forced on him by an act of the General Assembly; but without occupying much of your readers’ attention or the space of your columns, we may safely view Mr. Smith’s Marine Board Bill as one of harbor improvements, consisting of sheep-pens, stockyards, and public wharfs. To accomplish this, it was deemed necessary to ask for four thousand pounds out of the exchequer of poor Napier, as though it was inexhaustible. Considering the vast amount spent, and the numerous accounts published respecting harbor improvements, people at a distance must surely be under the impression that the Harbor at Napier is a grand arsenal, fit for her Majesty’s fleet. But we must correct such a mistaken notion by informing them that the work is not yet complete. We require four thousand pounds more for our public wharf, which sum will only be the beginning of the good things as all our calculations heretofore only means the commencement and not the completion of destruction, which many seem to think will be hastened by the new improvements, if improvements they can be called, by destroying the water accommodation in the mighty Iron Pot. In calling attention to this matter I am fully aware that the question has been before the Public in a variety of forms in the Hawke's Bay Herald, commencing nearly with its birth, for we find in the 9th issue of that paper the grave question ventilated, and it has ever since occupied a considerable space in its columns in one shape or other, —Leaders, letters, speeches, or meetings ; but of all that has been said or written, nothing is more worthy of attention probably than the professional reports that have been published, in carefully examining these wo arc necessarily driven to the conclusion that Napier harbor has not been spoiled for the want of knowing better, but by a systematic mode of pandering to the wish of the few magnates whose interest demands the sacrifice of public money for the increase of the value of their property in the pot, under the name of harbor improvements. But we must make every allowance for private considerations —we will not call it private interests, as all private interests are supposed to be sacrificed on the altar of public good in such matters as these. Would it had been so in Napier! we should have had a much better harbor at a thousandth part of the cost, and one sufficient for all the wants of Napier for years to come. The coasting trade of Napier, being such small tonnage, the Iron Pot was quite sudden:, the vesels being necessarily of a light draught of water, and must be, in order to visit the places on the coast, where vessels of large dimensions cannot go. For all (he coasting trade the Iron Pot was sufficient, without wasting the fearful sum of eighteen thousand pounds in making it worse than it was ; and how the new wharf will help matters remains to be proved. We do not wish in any way to detract from tho worth of Mr. J. A. S’s abstruse calculations as to the profits from the new four thousand pounder, but arc certainly of opinion that this will be similar to the former works that were commenced, —a deal of money spent, and no extra accommodation provided in water berths, nor facilities' given in discharging. From all I can learn on this subject, the opinions of men who affirm they are qualified to express an opinion on such matters, are wonderfully divided in the proposed improvements, and the result “seems extremely doubtful, as the wharf will have its disadvantages. On which side wo will find the preponderance will bo shown by Time only. My object at present is not the discussion of the merits of these opinions, but a desire to court, as far as possible, free enquiry on such a doubtful question, which must at once appear'-to all candid minds sufficient in itself to induce his Honor and his Executive to suspend all operations until the opinion of some one skilled in engineering be obtained. I do not in this remark wish in any way to be understood as questioning the abilities of the Provincial Engineer in the management of the public works, &c., &c., but think at the same time we must look on all harbor improvements as a branch peculiarly its own, and requiring more than ordinary attention in the construction of the works and the conducting of water courses Had such opinions been obtained at first, and the question been put without regard to private purposes,—Can you make us a harbor to admit of larger tonnage? The question was soon answered, for we have a good natural harbor in Napier.for vessels of heavy draught of water, such as the Iron Pot will not admit; which if watched, will still be useful at some future day if not destroyed by another rich display of the abilities of the Government Subs, in exporting the reserves, as nothing else can be done. Pardon the digression, Mr. Editor, but I should like to know what right Pilot Murray lias to dispose of Government property by allowing the ferry reserve to be removed, or private property disturbed by his special permission to ballast from the Meanee Spit. That wo have a good harbor there can be no doubt of, the fact of the two vessels being inside is proof positive of itself of the capabilities of the harbor, and this fact has occupied tho attention of numbers connected with Napier. In the year 1857, in the 10th issue of the Herald, wo find a person writing under the signature of “Neptune,” who was Pilot at tho time I believe, who expresses his opinions pretty freely; but who, nevertheless, understood the weight of private interest when lie said, “we fear our sugges-

tions relative to our harbor will not be deemed worthy of much consideration at the present, but more likely to be worth attention some quarter of century hence. We think the proper harbor of Napier could be improved at a comparatively small expense simply by running out a large wharf, or a series of what may be called T wharfs, from Mr. Torr’s Hotel to the ‘Zinc House.’ ” Such was “Neptune’s” opinion in 1857; and in Mr. Wright’s report, published August 20th, 1859, in the 100th issue of the Herald, wo think we find a full confirmation of “Neptune’s” opinions, for in the report we find this very stray admission by Mr. Wright himself—“tho only deep water inside the harbor is that adjacent to the Meanee Spit.” This every man capable of giving evidence on the question has fully endorsed, as shewn in the followink numbers of the Hawke’s Bay Herald, 9, 10, 13, 20, 23, 36, 37, 87, 89,93, 91, 95, 97, 98, 100, 102, 110, 114, 116, 118, 130, 1«3, 173, 174, 179, 183, 206, 208, 270, 300, 301, 320. But without wading through the various effusions that have appeared in the above-mentioned numbers, we may say among disinterested people there has been but one opinion about harbor improvements and the place where they should commence; and there is no doubt, if the matter had been in the hands of an efficient Commissioner, free from local trammels, Napier would have been much richer and in possession of a harbor, instead of a miserable apology, and an expensive substitute such as the Iron Pot is, and will still be after tho new wharf is finished, if ever such be the case. Another wonderful provision in Mr. Smith’s marine bill is the £IOOO for a life boat; shed for goods, moorings, capstan, warps, crane, and contingencies. As usual in all other matters, waste must be called contiugencies, for wo find in a previous Session of the Provincial Council a grant for a boat, and to give effect to the matter we believe a boat was built to order, which was supposed to be fit to brave waves and storms when all others faffed. This powerful giant of a boat was to force a passage in case of need ; but how short-lived are tho hopes of men. No sooner does the Lord Ashley make her appearance, and a trial is needed, than the giant dwindles into tho dwarf, and the pigmy assumes the lion ; and the common whale boat leads the master of boats. If, under such circumstances, it was deemed prudent to wait to let another and one would suppose an inferior boat lead, what would bo the fate of tho unfortunates in a black north-easter. Of tho boat or management we shall say nothing farther at the present, but think we have paid quite enough already for what w’e have got. I cannot close this epistle without calling attention to the fact that any day wo may have the misfortune to see some poor mariner running to Napier for safety in a strong north-easter ; then will the value of the Iron Pot be fully known. If tho Sea Shell could not enter without doing damage, what would have been the effect in coming before a gale of wind and a strong spring flood? We leave men acquainted with j tho matter to say whether a vestige of tho breast-work would remain or not. Fearing this has occupied too much space already, I am, Sir, Yours, A LOOKER ON.

P.S.—As I was penning this, the Herald was put into my hands and to my great surprise, in the Shipping intelligence I found a statement to the effect that the Sea Shell did not do tho slightest damage to the breastwork. If spiff ting'the stringers and part of the stays is no damage, then none was done, llow people can be so regardless of truth is very strange. Any one can prove the the trutii of the damage by going to the Spit.