FOXTON HARBOR WORKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5276, 21 February 1878, Page 2

FOXTON HARBOR WORKS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, —It is amusing and intere-ting to observe the movements and notions of some of the settlers of this place, who seem to think that public money is never properly expended except it is for the improvement of their own properties, aud it is very delightful to hear them talk of themselves as “the public” ami their interest as the general interest, &c. I hear that last week some of these people busied themselves in what they called, or rather miscalled, public business. They sent a petition to the Minister for Public Works, asking him to arrange the plans of the expected new wharf so as to improve their own private property. Now this was very sensible on their part. No work can be of more importance to this country than the extension of the wharf, and no people can possibly have suffered greater loss than we have for want of proper wharf accommodation. Were I to relate one half the delays to vessels and losses to shippers, and the consequences arising from this cause, m> one newspaper would contain the account. Suffice it, therefore, to say that any steps taken by any settler or other person to o;o-o delay, or hinder the Government from providing the required accommodation, is calculated to inflict the greatest possible injury on the prospects and wellfare of tr.e whole county. Our joint object should be unanimously to go in for a large increase to the present wharf and breastwork extending up aud down tin; river from the present wharf without raising quibbles with the Government and each other. This county suffered quite enough when it was deprived of 25,000 acres of land for the Wanganui Harbor Board, and our own IlarbuiBill thrown out of the Upper House, in consequence of bad management on the part of those who had charge of it, and which wifi Ins more fully enquired into hereafter. This was, a gross act of injustice, to give away the lauo oAhe county to Wanganui, and at the same time to refuse a similar grant to our own harbor, which needs it quite as much. I hop-;, therefore, the Government will yet come down handsomely in the matter of improvement r>f onr harbor, so as to redeem the past injustice as much as possible. —I am, &c. Te Awahou.