The Patea Mail. Established 1875. FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1883. A PRODIGAL BOARD.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1027, 27 April 1883, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established 1875. FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1883. A PRODIGAL BOARD.

Ninety thousand pounds seems a large sum of money, but the Otago Harbour Board are about to spend that amount on the improvement of their harbour bar. The past experience of the Board has been a dear one, and not altogether successful. When the Board was created a scheme was proposed by which a channel was to be cut from Port Chalmers to Dunedin, docks were to be built, and no end of improvements made at a cost of £600,000, to accomodate the Home ships, which, after all, will never see Dunedin. Somewhere about a quarter of a million of money has literally been thrown into the sea in a fruitless attempt to make a channel through a series of mud banks to enable Home vessels to be taken up to the back doors of the merchant princes of the southern metropolis. That attempt is now admitted to have been a failure, and the great Victoria channel has dwindled down to a comparative ditch, large enough for moderately sized coastal steamers to navigate. Nothing daunted, the Board now propose to enter upon a work, involving the outlay of nearly £IOO,OOO. The general opinion seems to be that in seeking to improve the bar they are adopting the course which they really should have taken at first. Time after time lias it been recorded that vessels have bumped while crossing the bar, and one would have thought that in the frequent occurrence of these unpleasant little reminders the Board would have recognised the necessity of devoting their attention towards improving the entrance, instead of scooping out sandbanks ten or twelve miles up the harbour. But better late than never, and we wish ouj’ southern friends success in their project. It is vexatious, however, to think of the money wasted down there, a small portion of which could have been expended with very different results on our breakwater. Nor is it less tantalising to notice that while we are « stuck ” for a few thousands to .make this a thoroughly safe port with water sufficient for onr requirements, another place is able to expend over £200,000 on dredging and then cap it with £IOO,OOO on a breakwater. Verily “unto him that hath shall be given.” However, our wants are not altogether being lost sight of. We notice that Major Atkinson has telegraphed to the Chairman of the Harbour Board stating that a draft of a bill has been prepared in accordance with - suggestions made, and that he will shortly visit the Coast to address his constituents when the proposed bill can be further discussed. We fervently hope that something practical will be the result.