The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1877.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 249, 29 August 1877, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1877.

The excitement in New Plymouth just now about tho Harbour question is intense. The following special telegram from Wellington, dated Friday, August 241h, was published in the Taranaki Herald the same evening: “ On the Now Plymouth Harbour Bill coming on for committal at midnight ycsteiday, Mr Kelly, at the request of Mr Murray and other members, postponed the cornmital. Mr Murray stated that a private letter had been received from a mercantile firm at New Plymouth urging members to prevent the Harbour Board from carrying out thenproposals, and further stating that an expenditure of £50,000 at Waitara would be more beneficial for the community.— Mr Kelly informed Mr Murray and those members who took an interest in the matter, that ample opportunity- would be given for the fullest inquiry, and he had no doubt that the proposals of the Board were calculated to secure the best harbour accommodation with the means at their disposal.” Tho indignation against the firm (the name of which thcie appears to be little doubt about) is very great. A very .largely attended meeting was held the same evening Friday) to consider what steps should be taken with regard to the telegram received from Wellington, which had appeared in Herald. Mr R. C. Hughes was voted to the chan 1 , and the following resolution was passed—“ That a telegi-ara be sent to Mr Kelly, informing him that a monster preliminary meeting was being held to take steps to hold an indignation meeting respecting the conduct of the firm, who have recently sent a letter which Mr Murray referred to in the House.” It was resolved that the indignation meeting should take place next day, and also that a petition should be prepared and circulated for signature at once. The petition was in circulation on Saturday and was being numerously signed, the purport of it being that the petitioners viewed with

regret the endeavours of a small section of the community to prejudice thollavbour Bill; that the immediate construction of a Harbour at New Plymouth was of vital importance to the commercial and agricultural interests of the district; that the petitioners were satisfied with the rating powers of the New Plymouth Harbour Act, and prepared cheerfully t« bear taxation; that the individual agitation against the action of the Harbour Board emanated from no representative body or public meeting; and that the petitioners had full confidence that the Harbour Board would act with discretion. On Saturday afternoon (25th instant) one of the largest meetings of town and country settlor over held took place in the Court House, Mr 11. J. Honyfiold in the chair, when Mr R. C. Hughes, the mover of the first resolution took Colonel Trimble to task, and said said he was being mislead by a few who obstructed harbour progress. Resolutions in terms of the petition were carried. Colonel Trimble spoke at some length against the harbour scheme. It was also resolved that the letter of the firm referred to be procured and published, to which proceeding Colonel Trimble strongly objected and moved an amendment, which was not

seconded. Through Mr Hulkc, who was at the meeting, saying that some of the parties in the movement in favour of the harbour had been in prison, there was great excitement, which was only allayed by a withdrawal of the statement. The result of the present agitation will be a matter of concern to the whole district. The fight is evidently a bitter one —a few wealthy old fossils, who ought to have gone to roost long ago, have woke up in their dotage, and set their backs up against an overwhelming majority of the people. They are wealthy and therefore powerful. They don’t want to progress. As well might people here object to Patca River improvements as Taranaki people object to Harbour works at New Plymouth: inifccJ there would be less folly in objecting hereto what it is objecting there.