HARBOR WORKS NO CHARGE TO LAND REVENUES.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 278, 3 July 1874, Page 3

HARBOR WORKS NO CHARGE TO LAND REVENUES.

. We extract, with pleasure, the following; remarks from the ' Wakatip Mail,' which will well repay perusal :

"In the ' Provincial Gazette' is published an interesting return headed the " Balance Sheet of the Otago Do p k to 30th September last year. It is signed R. B. Martin, chairman; J. S. Webb, secretary. It shows that the'income of the Board for the year was £663 Is. 1 Id and the working expenses. £729 13s. making a loss-of'£7B ] Is. Tliis would be a very good commencement if that was all. In addition- to previous assistance, - £SOOO was borrowed upon debentures The outlay-.of this, was the large sum of £354 ss. 7d. for interest; 3000 to the contractor ; law costs amounting to £lO5 and improvements £209; "leaving a balance in September last, of only £642 7s. No wonder the concern was foisted on the Province, in fact thrown on the hands of the Government, and. accegted with pleasure. If . any action of . this kind had been taken, say with, some 'work on the Goldfields, to which the ' Government of [ the day had extended a guarantee or a loan,- what an outery there would be amongst Dunedin politicians. They would always be reminded about it. The Port Chalmers Dock Trust have had every favor shewn them and now it has become, what his Honor desired from the first—a provincial .work. Already there areschemes for lengthening it proposed,, so that Port Chalmers shall be able to compete with other docks in Australia. We shall no doubt be told that it will then prove a payable speculation. We'are of opinion that the work has - already cost enough ; that more- than a fair sjiare of revenue has been spent- upon ""Harbor Works ; and that 'more pressing works { demand attention than the ambitious proposal to make the dock capable of accommodating the, wants of two vessels at. a time or that' of the largest oceangoing steamers. It is.'suciWorks as these that entail land sales in blocks. The country is sacrificed for them; the squatters placated; and the seaports amrrandised. what a magnificent pohcy-! "