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Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 759, 16 September 1878, Page 2

In the issue of the Hawke's Bay Herald published on the 27th August last, there appears a letter signed "Kauri." It has reference to the Port of Oamaru, and the writer crofegses to. enlighten the Napier Daily Telegraph, tfhicli fern's "jxj Have given him some annoyance py writing favorably of our Harbor and its management. Odds might be given that' ' Kauri'' is interested in the timbeX business, for his complaint seems to.have grown out of the Janding charges for timber imposed by the jjarbor #fiard hpt-e, whiijh he states are higher than those of the Napier Harbor Board. This may be perfectly true 5 hut jt i§ no proof that our charges are too high because they happen to be higher than those of soine other part. We assume that the charges made by the Oamaru Harbor Board have borne some relation to the Board's position, and wo have no doubt that the same may be said with regard to the charges made by the Napier Harbor Board. "Kauri" may rest assured that Harbor goards know their own business best. Besides, i» it riot significant of the inadequacy of the charges or the Napier Board to meet the exigencies of their present position that it has been compelled to increase them ? This is, however, not singular. Changing circumstances may necessitate another alteration before many months are over, just as the same cause warrants the Oamaru Harbor Board in resolving to make a reduction on its present charges on timber, which will shortly be carried into effect. However, it is not the writer's assertion that disparity exists between the charges made at Napier and Oamaru that we take exception to. Every mau has a right to express an opinion upon such subjects, ami we would not wonder if such men as "It'iuri" would be better pleased if landing charges were entirely abolished. Bui-, unfortunately, thig pannot be. Had "Kauri" confined himself to an expression of opinion on the relative charges of the ports in question we would not have felt called upon to make any remarks in reply, B#t he goes further, and makes statements that ape utterly untrue. He save that our " foreign shipping tj?ade has fallen off during the last two years in spite of our breakwater." Has he knowingly and designedly done our port an injustice, or will he be surprised when we inform him of the facts of the case i There were no less than IS vessels in the Port of Oamaru at one time during the last grain season, and for two or three months this number suffered but little diminution. The majority o*: these were laid on for foreign ports. Amongst them were the Cabarfeidh (500 tons), Ulysse (870 tons), ■ and Vixen (300 tons), bound for tlie \ Cape of Good Hope; Circe (250 tons), and Ebenezer (450 tons), bound for Batavja and Auckland ; and others of similar calibre ; and now we are hourly expecting the arrival of the Aikshaw (1000 tons), and the Celestial Queen (1000 tons), ships which will Jqad with grain for England. So far. then, from the trade of the Port of Oamaru falling off. as " Kauri " would have people believe, fresh ueids have been opened up, and the further extension of our trade is occupying the attention of the Board. The Oamaru Harbor Board has succeeded in accomplishing wonders with the comparatively small sum which it has expended. The harbor has already proved a great boon to the settlers of <c?ne of the largest and most important districts ip. t-xe polony ; and it is now contemplated to complete g, good work the advantages of which evpn in itg unfinished state are almost incalculable. But to return to further comment upon "Kauri's" letter. The writer says that " the banking account of the Harbor Board is overdrawn." This will be news I for its members. They were under an ! impression that a very considerable portion of their l<ist loan was lying in the Board's bank bearing interest on deposit receipt, rea,dy to pay for contracts now in progress, and we would not be surprised if, as they should really know more about the matter than "Kauri," such were really the case. If " Kauri " can boast of the JI possession of the admirable characteristics j:

of lore of truthfulness and justice, he will hasten, to retract statements that are as untruthful as they are damaging, when he is made aware of the facts of the case. Of course, no blame is attachable to the Hawke's Bay Herald which published the statements in the belief that the writer possessed an acquaintance with the subject that he was writing about, and that he was not actuated by any sinister motives.