DEATH AT PAEROA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4552, 18 April 1923, Page 2

DEATH AT PAEROA.

WOMAN EXPIRES SUDDENLY. On Monday afternoon about 5.30 o’clock Miss Leah Augustean Kemo expired suddenly at the residence of her sister, Mrs Smith, Willoughby St., Paeroa. For some years th 3 deceased had been in poor health, but the end came quite unexpectedly. At the time she fell to the floor she was assisting with the preparation of t.he evening meal. Medical aid was summoned. .mt when Dr. Smith arrived life was extinct. As the doctor could not give a certificate of death the police were communicated with, and Constable McClinchy had the bod? removed to the morgue. Yesterday morning an irquest was held by Mr F. E. Flatt, J.P., and a jury consisting of Messi’s A. E. Morgan, C. . Mettam, D. Leach, and Brown. The evidence of Dr. Smith, who performed the post-mortem examination was to the effect that he found a conditior of general adiposis, all the abdominal organs much enlarged and fatty, and the heart soft and flabby. Death, in his opinion, was due to these conditions. Mrs Smith, sister of the deceased, gave evidence to the effect that the deceased had been an invalid for the last fourteen years, and had resided with her. She would not have medical aid, although she suffered considerably.

A verdict in accordance with the doctor’s evidence was returned.

There is not the slightest doubt that an improved harbour at Thames as outlined in Mr J. Blair Mason’s scheme will pay. Mr Mason is one of the most eminent harbour engineerjs in Australasia, and he has authoilitatively stated that the cost of the scheme will not exceed £60,000. The present revenue of the Board is sufficient to pav for- interest and sinking fund on twothirds of the loan,, which leaves a very small additional amount to be found.

In oJjder to be able to offer security for the loan it has become necessary for the Thames Harbour Board to have the power to fix a rate, but this is really a formal matter only. It is most unlikely that any part of the rate will ever have to be collected, and in any case the rate pledged is so small—-three-twentieths of a penny in the pound—as to be hardly worth considering.

Both at New Plymouth and Wanganui. where sums totalling £500,006 and £389,000, respectively, have bee.i expended, no additional rate has been collected. Farmers in the districts surrounding the two above mentioned who originally opposed all harbour improvement schemes are now the strongest supporters. They have discovered what an enormous saving they are making both on railage of their produce and also on railage of the goods which they require to import.

Wanganui’s shipping trade has doubled during the past 10 years, whilst New Plymouth’s has increased very largely. After reading the above facts, one cannot help but wonder why the opponents of the scheme are opposing it. It has been mentioned that the expenditure of £60,000* will be'“only the thin edge of the wedge.” There is certainly an extended scheme for still further improving the harbour, the total cost of which will entail an expenditure of about another £200,000. However, the £60,000 scheme will not be completed immediately, and when it is completed the increased facilities wi>| enable overseas vessels to enter, am! there will probably be no necessity to go ahead with any further scheme for many years. In any case, if after an expenditure of £500,000 the Wanganui Board lias not found it necessary to collect an additional rate, why, then, should it be found necessary for the Thames Harbour Board to collect a rate,, even when the big scheme is completed, when the total cost will be only about £270,000'.

There is no getting away from the fact (hat the Thames Harbour Scheme is supported by engineers and experts. Support is also lent by the experience of several other Boards in the Dominion—whilst the only opponents of the scheme are laymen who can at best have only a superficial knowledge of the hundred and one points which have been exhaustively considered. Every clear-thinking "man and woman possessed of clean vision will admit, the logic of the above reasoning, and will support, the scheme. There is only one way to vote on Election Day, and that is FOR THE PROPOSAL.