WELLINGTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 15

WELLINGTON HARBOUR BOARD.

IMPORTANT WORKS SUGGESTED

WELLINGTON, January 30.

I The Hon. T. Kennedy Macdonald, chairman | of the Wellington Harbour Board for the past two years, made an important speech at the meeting of that body this afternoon. Mr Macdonald said nothing could be more certain that that every succeeding year would see enormous changes- in that vast extent of land King between Wpjlington and Auckland. 'The completion this year of the Main North Trunk line of railway »would revolutionise all the conditions of settlement and commerce in that quarter of the Dominion. Already new townships were being created all along the railway route, and with the extended facilities now offering to farmers to settle upon the Crown and Native lands and build up new homes, there would be a wonderful influx of population. It was impossible that such changes could take place without vastly increasing both the import and export trade of the city and port of Wellington. It was, therefore, absolutely necessary to at once increase the area of berthage and shed accommodation. It was the duty of the board without delay to take steps to provide the moneys required to keep the port of Wellington at its present high standard and to undertake such additional works as would completely provide for the yearly expansion of trade activities. Mr Macdonald then gave details of various works in hand and required, representing in all an expenditure of £586,000. In addition to this, he said there was the purchase of the patent slip, £25,000, and the cost of reclamation of land, dredging, construction of retaining walls, street formation, interest, and contingencies, estimated to cost in all £110.000, or a total in connection with the patent slip and ite developmental works of not less than £135.000. The negotiations which had been proceeding for some time with the Union Company Tor the purchase of it« interest in the Patent Slip Company had not come to a definite issue. This being so, he recommended that in a«cordance with tho resolution of the board adopted on December 5 last the solicitors should be asked to proceed at once and give effect to that resolution, which meant the compulsory acquisition of the property under the powers vested in the board. That this should be necessary was a matter of grave regret, and the Harbour Board had a right to feel stronger in the way in which it, as guardian of great public interests, had been treated by the directors of the Wellingtoif Patent Slip Company and the Wellington Gas Company, acting conjointly in this matter. The Union Steam Ship Company was quite within its rights in purchasing the interest of the major portion of the shareholders in the Patent Slip Company. He found no fault with it. It had so acted that it could without friction ask the Harbour Board to assist it to effectively increase its scope of operetkme in connection with the working- of its fleet, and it had a "right (consistent with a. due regard to the interests of the general public) to have loyal assistance from the members of the board. In addition to the expenditure to which he had already referred, ha would ask the board to proceed at once with the work of adding to the industrial advantages of Wellington an area of laryj at Evans Bay in accordance with the resolution already arrived at. This work had been postponed in consequence of the high estimate placed upon steep hillsides by many of their owners. This would require to be met by asking the Compensation Court to ascertain the true values of such properties. tl would therefore be seen from his remarks that no less a sum than £872,836 must be faced as expenditare to place the port of Wellington during the next three years in the position which its rapidly-grcwing commerce imperatively demanded. Parliament should therefore he asked next session for authority to be given to the board to raise £1,000,000 for necessary harbour works. This would mean an assured finance and was an absolute necessity if the success of the board during the past 25 years was to be maln+ained.

Mr Macdonald's proposals will be considered at a special meeting of the board shortly.

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