PATE A HARBOR BOARD.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 485, 17 December 1879, Page 2

PATE A HARBOR BOARD.

To the Editor of the Patea .Mail. Sin,—ln common with many others, I take a great interest in the monthly proceedings of onr Harbor Board as reported in the columns of the Mail, and was delighted to observe that at their last meeting the Boiling Down Company’s wharf question was again brought, forward, and may now be regarded as in a fair way of settlement.

This momentous mailer, which has absorbed so large a share of the Board's attention for the last few months, being settled, we may, perhaps, now hope that the improvements to the entrance of the river may receive a larger share of consideration. It would appear, however, as though oui worthy Board was afflicted with a chronic “ wharf mania,” as I observe in. your report of the meeting that the Governor is to be requested to authorise the commencement of extensive works in connection with Sir John Goode’s plans for wharves, reclamation, &c., on the town side of the river. Now, Mr Editor, lam under the impression that Sir John Goode s report included alternative plans for wharves on either bank of the river, the cost being about the same in both cases. If this is so, the action taken by the Harbor Board is somewhat premature, inasmuch as if the construction of a whaif or quay on the town side is commenced, and the Government afterwards place Hie railway on the opposite side, the money expended by the Board would be thrown away. Would it not therefore bo more prudent before proceeding further in this matter (which means an outlay of many thousand pounds) to ascertain definitely which side the Government Engineers decide upon as most practicable for the railway, especially as by the recent I uhlic Works Statement it appears that the railway line from Carlyle northward is to be proceeded with at once. . Some of our townspeople appear tolhmk that we should be better without a lanv ay at all, than that it should be on the south side of the river. This can hardly be considered a public spirited view of the matter. The first important consideration is the to the colony, and there can be no question that having the station near the proposed quay on the town side of the river, would

cause the branch line to cost about double the amount that carrying the line on the south side would do, and 1 his no doubt will have its due weight with the Government.

As ft matter of convenience to the town of Carlyle, I fail to see that the distance would be greater if the station was placed on the old swamp not far from the bridge, than if placed somewhere in the direction of the present lower wharf. I hope, therefore, that the matter may be decided solely in the public interest, and that the “ wharf question ” will be held over until that decision is given.—l am, Ac., EXPEDIENCY. Carlyle, loth December, 1879.