The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” FRIDAY, AUGUST 5th, 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” FRIDAY, AUGUST sth, 1921.

AN INEQUITABLE POSITION. Thk action of our public men in meeting and conferring as to steps which might be taken in regard to the pro|w>snl decided upon to include a large slice of Westland- in the Greymouth Harbour district, 'is much to be commended. The true position is realised, namely, that the potiqi) is altogether

inequitable and at variance with all grounds lor fair-]. lay. I he Commission which investigated seemed to have approached the’subject with their minds well made up in advance. That was the impression created by the major section of the Commission in their action at the table. It appeared as though they were carrying out a, m'andatc, and it counted for very little what evidence was brought forward. It will be recalled that both at Greymouth and also Hokitika, (where the Commissioners reluctantly agreed to bold a belated

sitting) very convincing evidence was put forward as to why this district should not be included in the rating area, Such commodities from this district which are exported over the Greymouth wharf, as well as the imports. could well pay their quota, to the upkeep of the harbour, by way of wharfage charges. The rating principle is most inequitable, first beenuse the principal ratepayers (the settlers) have little or. no call to use the! northern harbour, and in the immediate future will have less occasion still. Besides ibis, a large and important part of the rating area is quite out of touch with harbour requirements. Much of it is saddled already with special la—ation for Hokitika harbour, while all of it produces so little toe sea. export that It is altogether unfair to again tax the body of people for a second barhour they will make less and less use of. As showing How little the settlers are affected bv the needs of a harbour nt Greymouth, there was the recent expnrte statement of the Government officer who visited Oknru to influence the settlors in that locality to Undertake dairying. What be said of the handling of their exports, applies equally well to all dairying products of Westland. Mr Clayton told the southern settlors that when they had butter for export, they would ship it to Hokitika, and from there ft would bo railed to Lyttelton, which would become the real seaport of Westland in the future. That is precisely the evidence which was given by the public men here at the time of the enquiry, supported as it was by the statement that already dairy products as well as stock, etc., are crossing to the F.ast Coast, without looking near the port of Greymouth. That in effect will he the general position in a few months’ time when through railway connection is an accomplished fact. If the Otirn tunnel had been completed to contract time, namely in 1913, for the past eight years This 'district would have been entirely independent of the Greymouth Harbour, so that upon the Government itself there is a responsibility for things being as they are, and a semblance of suggestion that at the moment the district is beholden to Greymouth for certain seaborne traffic. The facilities which through railway traffic will afford l will certainly make Lyttelton the port for the major portion of the district. All our dairy produce will gto there, first for cool storage, and second for overseas shipment. The hulk of the timber export will go that way too. Practically, all the imports will come from Canterbury, and to suggest now, with the whole position trending m the direction we have pointed out, that Westland- should be tacked on to the Grcyiront.li Harbour Rating Area, is altogether unfair and inequitable.