Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1920.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1920.

PREVENT -S TIVE MEASURES. I At the Borough. Council meeting on Friday night, Cr. Breeze sounded an important note of warning regarding ' the liability of the district to be included in the Greymouth Harbour District. The position is that a Royal Commission —the present Government has a weakness for doing things that way—probably to shirk responsibility—is,to be set up to determine the boundaries of the harbor district. The question at once arises, why should the boundaries be altered at all? Under the existing conditions the Greymouth Board has operated its harbor affairs in its own way, and over a. considerable period carried on successfully. It raised money and spent it according to its own sweet will. As its local revenue came in the money was used by the Board in its own way. The Board has a complaint aganist the Government for failure to provide all the revenue the latter should from the chief earing asset of the Board, and because of the Government failure in the matter, and the impotency of the Board to carry on otherwise, there is the suggestion now to extend the boundaries of the harbor district as a means of extending the local resources of the Board in the raising of Income. This district' has been mentioned as a probable victim, and the strongest protest should be made on the matter. Above all there should be a local organisation to prepare a case for the district, and present the position clearly to the Royal Commission. This district was not consulted in the past lavish expenditure of the Greymouth Board, and since that body has been drifting financially, the district has had no say in the management of the Board. The plight in which the Board finds itself, is for the people of the district who have enjoyed the period of the lavish expenditure, to remedy. It is grossly unfair to pass any of that liability on to a community which had no voice nor say in the administration which created the unfavorable condition. Taxation without representation is a soiadtl nrg|ujni'ent of protest, and it meets the case of this district in regard to the a (Fairs of the Greymouth Harbor Board admirably. The time seems to be at band when the local authorities here should combine in protest on sound and arguable lines against any inclusion in tbje Greymouth Harbor : district. The Government evidently ’ felt that if it attempted to put this locality in! fcfte Grey district, there | would be a storm of protest. While ' shirking responsibility in the matter they leave it to the Commission to

dojeidie, and the people hereabouts should take advantage of this loophole ns a means for escape. Preventative measures should be taken without delay by the local bodies and kindred public associations of the district meeting, and formulating a. definite defence. This step requires to be prepared for in advance, and should he taken without delay. What comes to pass will continue indefinitely, so that there is a considerable liability to discharge. This district lias always looked to the East and West Coast railway forming its main inlet and outlet, and that great and certain highway will be available Very soon. Tlie Greymouth harbor will thus be of diminishing value, and at this juncture particularly there ;is neither the need nor the desire to be linked up with the future fortunes of that port.