WAIROA HARBOUR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10284, 20 May 1919, Page 6

WAIROA HARBOUR

Sir,—"Within, a week or two you will have a full-blown deputation from that little, unknown spot called Wairoa. This combination will include members from what is known here as the Wairoa Panicky Harbour Board—by the way, may I say the worst board that, to my mind, has been in power during the past 39 years. Thoy will represent a few ratepayers outside their own circle, and will ask the Government to build a railway from Wairoa to Waikokapu, a distance of about 30 miles. Now, sir, settlers have had a little experience ot this wonderful haven of shelter lately, so much so that boats have had to shelter under a place oalled Kini Kini for I a couple of days before being able to discharge or receive passengers or cargo. This body of men, who, no doubt, are intelligent enpugh at their own calling, have visited your capital and interviewed your Ministers without much success, aud are again going to waste the ratepayers' money on another joy-ride on a fool's errand. This 'harbour of ours at Wairoa is quite all right and will still be in existencewhen Waikokapu is also a port, and with a few capable men, excluding the Government nominees (which should be elected by the ratepayers of the district), would be able to get the river trade back to its normal state. Now, sir. I trust the members of Parliament will again give this deputation the same snub as they gave them when they threw out the Harbours Bill—which, by the way, cost the ratepayers £197, without the joy-ride expenses to Wellington. I feel certain in my own mind that this extravagant board has spont during the past two years something like about £3OO in useless deputations. So far as I know, no one else knows what it has actually cost. With special cars and train fares and board, it will not be far out, possibly iti may be more. Now, sir. I would like to ask the Hon. T. M. Wilford what right he has to come to this district for part of a day and condemn, on supposition, our harbour works, and I would like to ask him what right he has to rush into imaginations in about two hours' visit to Waikokapu that that is the real solution amd advise tho Government that it is inadvisable to spend any moro money on the Wairoa Harbour works. ff such is the case, and thev act on hi,« advice, well, let the Government withdraw their nominees, and let us replace tihem with two more sensible men of our own selection, and I think wo will exist without their support. THOMAS BROWNE, Borough Councillor. Wairoa, Hawko's Bay.

P.S.—Since writing the above, tho trade boats aro landing cargo at Waicoa as usual.—T.E.