The Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 86, 31 July 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1876.

In* t>ttr last issue we acknowledged the re. eeipt, from the Secretary of the Harbour Board, of a report presented to his Honor the Superintendent containing a quantity of general and statistical information regarding the Breakwater, and other works in connection with the Board. We are well aware that the perusal of statistics is particularly dull reading, but some of the items in this report are really of interest to Oamaru and district, ancl cannot fail to be read with avidity by those persons who take a pleasure in watching the rapid strides our town is making. The report , as presented, to His Honor, shows that a vast amount of trouble and labor must have been spent in its compilation,and the facts and figures, as published, are, we believe, in every important particular strictly correct. The first portion of the report deals very fully with the initiation and progress of the Harbour Works, and draws the Superintendent's attention to the increasing importance of our port, and the district of which it is the outlet. We then have the particulars as to the formation of the Oamaru Dock Trust, and the various endowments granted to it. "Very full information is supplied regarding the dimensions of the Breakwater and the Maeandrew Wharf. AV e find that tlio Sv>ttth Wall or Breakwater, with the reclamation at the base, extends G3O feet from the foot of the Bluff, formerly washed by the surf. Then we have the progress the works have made very minutely pointed out, and also the results of the Board's operations which are classified as follows : shipping.—Safety and convenience to passengers; Despatch of vessels ; and lastly, economy to the port, which is exhibited in two directions : Ist, economy to the producer and to the importer ; and 2nd, the allocation of profits from landing and shipping; not to shareholders in boating enterprise, but to the construction of works for the improvement of the harbour, and to the reduction of charges. A comparison is drawn between the tariff charged by the Boating Companies and the present charges ; the latter, of course showing a great advantage to the public. The grand result, however, is instanced by the growing sense of security which the success of the Board's operations has produced throughout the community. Settlement in all its forms is progressing with rapidity. Land, hitherto cheap enough to admit sheep-fanning on a large scale, is becoming too valuable to hold for that purpose. Already large landowners have subdivided and sold their runs to agriculturists', at four times the market value before the success of the Breakwater was assured, and town property has increased at ten times the value it stood at six years ago. There is just one little item, in connection with the grand result of the Board's operations as put forth in the report ; on which we must differ. The Yicechjiirman informs the Superintendent that large land-holders have subdivided and sold their runs to agriculturalists at four times the market value he/ore the success of the Breakwater was assured. Now, if this land fetched four times its value before the success of the scheme was assured, what will it realise now the Breakwater is nh fai( (uxompli. We are disposed to think that the word " after " should be substituted for " before," as the success of the Breakwater is now, to all intents and

purposes, an undoubted fact. *lt is interesting to note that in the year 1869-70, when the works were started, the registered tonnage of vessels visiting the port was '30,872 tons, the number of vessels being 408, .and during the past year, 1875-76," the vessels numbered 762, with a capacity of ,81,015 tons register. In 1869, wool was exported amounting to 6,691 bales, 'the quantity exported in the year ending March, 1876, being 11,505 bales. Our space will not permit us to comment further on the Board's report in the present issue ; but we shall, on a future occasion, deal with the comparative returns in connection with the exports and imports of Oaiuaru, also, statistics in illustration of tlic "progress of the town and district.