OPUNAKE WHARF.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 69, 1 March 1895, Page 3

OPUNAKE WHARF.

(to THE EDITOR.) Sir,—l did not wish to extend this correspondence, but as you have still some misconceptions concerning my actions I must ask you to give me a little further space. My statement of the Wharf Company was, “ that all its allotted shares were paid up.” That is neither a lie, nor even half a truth, as you state —it is absolutely true. Even if the whole of the capital had been subscribed and paid up, the capital of the company could be increased, therefore your arguments do not apply as an answer to my true statement. As to Lewthwaito’s patent breakwater, I had notiiing to do with the affair, as agent or otherwise. I merely proposed that communications should be opened up witli the Lewthwaite Company’s engineer in Wellington, and enquiries set on foot concerning the patent breakwater. Your memory is again at fault, as you have forgotten that the proposition was for the Lewlhwaite Company to find the capital aud erect the work, and the interest only would have to be found by a local company or other body. The proposition that the Wharf Company’s capital should be £20,000 instead of £SOOO as proposed, was a separate and distinct motion altogether, whereas you mix them up iu a very happy way. As for the Lighter -Company, I was not a shareholder of it until about three mouths ago, when I bought two shares at auction. That company ceased landing cargo on the 31st July, 1885, some years before the Wharf Company was projected, and my duties as secretary for many years were nominal, and my salary very nominal', so your kind remarks on this point don’t fit either. You ask why nothing was done prior to the formation of the Wharf Company. I answer that much was done which led up to the formation of that company. Another reason was, no doubt, because our aim previously was mainly the construction of a breakwater, which idea and fond hope we had reluctantly to give up for the time being as 'beyond the means of the district. Nothing done,! Why, the question was always uppermost. What do you consider of the following ? —The survey and report by Mr Hursthouse, C.E. ; interviews with Ministers, En-gineer-in-Chief, and many others ; report by Mr Blackett, C.E. ; sending a deputation of two to Wellington re a vote fdr a jetty, &c. (one gentleman paid bis own expenses. Result: Vote for metalling South Road from Otakeho to Opua ; no result as far as vote for bay improvements were concerned) ; the promotion of two local Bills in Parliament, having the object of the formation of a Harbor Board vesting certain lands as endowments ; the survey and report by Mr Thompson, C.E., at cost of £l5O (the half cost of which the guarantors —certain members of the Town and District Committee—were called on to make up, which, by the way, resulted in the Piano and Entertainment Committee, of which nothing has been heard for a considerable- time) ; urging the matter further before the notice of Sir Harry Atkinson, who drafted a Bill with clauses to form a Harbor Board for Opunake and vesting reserves, which was not proceeded with by reason, I think, of the projected Wharf Company, and finally the promise of Sir H. Atkinson to have plans prepared, without cost, of a wharf to cost not more than £2OOO (which latter practically called'the Wharf Company into existence, the company being formed to erect works upon that plan), and besides which numerous petitions were got up at various times to the Houses of Parliament. Whether the above record was such as to warrant your remarks (a good deal of this may be news to you, but rash statements should not be made) I leave to your readers. You accuse me of writing on account of a desire for “cheap notoriety,” whatever that may be. I care neither for cheap, dear, or beautifully indefinite notoriety." I do object to being misrepresented systematically and otherwise, and made to appear as holding opinions which I disclaim. —I am, &c., A. H. Moore. [Now that Mr Moore has had the last word we hope he will change his tactics, and go to work with the rest of the community in their endeavor to re-erect the jetty.— Ed. Times.]