Harbor Rate and Loan.

Patea Mail, 28 April 1882, Page 3

Harbor Rate and Loan.

Americas question has been raised by Board, in urging the of a rating power in this harbor district, as the basis of a loan bill for improving Patea harbor. The old difficulty will have to be faced, of defining a rating boundary. The proposal which was made to a public meeting . last year in a hasty manner, and which was adopted by only a few voters in the meeting (the majority not voting), was brought before the public too late to be of use in that session, and was also too local, being confined only to the town. The limitation of boundary should be considered anew, by the light of well-known facts. To propose a County boundary would provoke serious opposition among settlers at the farther ends of the district. To propose a Borough boundary would be imposing a large burden on a small community, and letting off the bulk of those whose properties would benefit by improvements resulting from the loan based on a harbor rate. The town community would gain most, and should pay most. The suburban settlers would come next in the radius of direct benefit, by the increased value of their properties ; and these should join in the rate, on a graduated scale. Other lands next outside the suburban belt would benefit in a third degree, and they might reasonably contribute towards the harbor rate. The closer those rating areas are kept to the port, the more likely would the neighboring settlers be to join voluntarily in a harbor rale. Any rating scheme that aims at pressure or coercion to raise a loan would be likely to defeat itself, and ought not to be attempted. It is reasonable to ask, at the same time, that those who bear the rating burden shall have the harbor management; and if a rating bill be promoted for the coming session, the bill should propose also to constitute the Harbor Board so as to give control to that area which voluntarily rates itself for a harbor loan.