PROGRESS OF WELLINGTON

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12614, 26 November 1926, Page 6

PROGRESS OF WELLINGTON

The figures presented to the Wellington Harbour Board on Wednesday justify the selection of Wellington as the capital of the Dominion. The rivalry for this position between Wellington and Auckland dates back to the ’forties. Nothing is more remarkable in the statistics of that decade than the superiority in trade and white population of Wellington over Auckland in that period, unless it be the selection by Governor Hobson of Auckland as the capital, and the bitter opposition of the Wellington settlers, voiced by Gibbon Wakefield and others, in the endorsement of that decision by the Home Government. The basis of this opposition of Wellington was the theoretical argument—“Suprema a situ”—advanced by the Wellington people, backed by the statistics of the early population, and the fact that they were able to hold them own against the increasing hostility of the neighbouring Maori chiefs, whereas Auckland was described by Mr Somes, of the New Zealand Company, as “living on the sufferance of savages.” . This biting statement was hardly for it was not till the bold arrest of Te Rauparaha by Sir George Grey, that the position of Wellington could be considered safe. . For twenty years, however, Auckland remained the capital. During that period constitutional government was established in the growing colony.' Ten years after that event (in 1864) Parliament, convinced bv the original case for Wellington, strengthened by the progress of subsequent events, transferred the capital to Wellington. 1111 ,1 After having thus come into her own, Wellington has held the position well. To-day the shipping figures presented at the annual meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board, show the tonnage handled at the port during the year as 1,816,765 tons, an increase over the preceding year of 11 per cent. It is a record, as the report said, for both Wellington and the Dominion. Moreover, the large increase in transhipment proves the wisdom of the policy of moderate charges adopted by the Wellington Harbour Board. . _ From the mass of figures we may select the oil import or 276,000 tons, showing an increase over the previous year of nearly 47 per cent.* —a proof of the wise provision made by the Harbour Board for the growing requirements of the port, and of the general recognition of the merits of Wellington as the proper distributing centre of the Dominion’s commerce, in so far, of course, as the need for distribution arises. Considering all the circumstances, the progress shown is very remarkable We have pleasure in offering sincere congratulations to the Harbour Board and the people of the district in which the capital of the Dominion is situated.