The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, December 8, 1908. OPUNAKE HARBOUR BOARD BILL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 443, 8 December 1908, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, December 8, 1908. OPUNAKE HARBOUR BOARD BILL.

The Opunake paper is annoyed because the Opunake Harbour Bill did not become law last session. It says inter alia: “The Foxtou people got their Bill through in 1908, and they have not made provision for borrowing powers, nor for a poll of the ratepayers before moneys can be borrowed. The Minister lays great stress on the endowment clause, but the Foxton people secured a big slice of land. They also secured a number of Government reserves, such as a pilot station reserve, and a signal station reserve. In the township of Carnarvon they got 418 acres, besides other lands in various parts of the district. If the Minister’s opinion is of value, then there must have been something in the nature of favoritism to enable the Foxtou Bill to go through with Government reserves as endowments, as similar concessions had been refused this district. The people who drafted the Opunake Bill of 1906 knew what was wanted for the district, and it resembled the Foxton Bill in every respect. Had it gone through in the manner in which it was drawn up this district would be in an infinitely better position to-day. This is called legislation by so-called Liberals, but why such an injustice should be inflicted.on a district by preventing the passing of a Bill with endowments, and another district allowed to get theirt’s through with similar clauses, is beyond all reason. Perhaps some one may be able to explain why it is. It is true'that Opunake has a Harbour Bill, but it has no foreshore, no reserves, aud a very limited rating area.” The Opunake Bill is not on all fours with the local Bill. Many years ago a Board existed to control the local port, but it lapsed, and the railway department controlled the local wharf and mopped up an assured revenue, almost the whole of which was, and is, diverted to swell the revenue of the working railways without _ anything being returned to facilitate shipping by keeping the fair way clear. The Marine Department has not received sufficient revenue from the endowments mentioned to pay the pilot’s salary and meet other expenditure. The Marine Department is only too pleased to transfer its responsibility and endowments to the Board. All that Foxton asks is that the control of the river and wharf be vested in the Board. Our contemporary is barking up the wrong tree when it alludes to “ favouritism.” Justice has not yet been meted out to the Board, as the railway department absolutely refuse to part with the revenue. We sincerely hope, however, that the Opunake Bill promoters will yet be successful in getting a satisfactory amendment to their Bill in order to make it workable.