South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2470, 17 February 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1881.

The annual elections for the Timaru Harbor Board have taken place, and in nearly every instance the members who retired by effluxion have had a renewal of the confidence of their constituents. In other parts of New Zealand the Harbor Boards have been moved to their deepest foundations, and constitutional changes have been wrought ; but the members of the Timaru Board must be congratulated on the utter absence of any desire to remove them from their seats. !So far

as their operations have gone they have given a tolerably good account of themselves, and if blunders have been made occasionally, there is no good reason for supposing that they , have been made deliberately or intentionally. As one of the re-elected members remarked on the eve of his return, the Board has profited by its experience, and we presume, if it had another breakwater to construct the work would be done in a skilful and economical manner. It is pleasing to find that there are members on the Board so candid and outspoken as to acknowledge that its successes have been slightly adulterated with failure, and that in addition to its accumulating slock of untested cement and doubtful ironbark, it possesses an extensive. supply of dearly bought wisdom.

After the excellent speech made by Mr Evans before the Chamber of Commerce, wo are justified in concluding that the Board is so conscious of its first blunders that it will not venture to repeat them. The cause of these blunders have been indicated in the remarks to which we allude. The Board has been experimenting when it should have been seeking the best advice obtainable. Even now it is simply feeling its way. The accumulation of shingle is a hypothetical evil, the end of which cannot even he conjectured. The architects of the Breakwater as they get out to sea and into deep water are simply beginning to feci their way and gain confidence. Just as the Board was drifting into a chaos of magnificent turning tables and wheels and pinions to enable the steam crane Hercules—which ought to be surnamed the iron crocodile—to make a circumbendibus, it has been discovered that a straight line is hotter than a pot-hook, and that the longer the operation of twisting the nose of the Breakwater northwards can be postponed, the better will it be for our harbor. The fact that the Board is gradually awakening to a belief in a straightforward method of doing things is a clear proof that it is docile and tractable, for the suggestion in this instance has emanated from public opinion. Should the straight track be adopted, the Board will have the satisfaction of knowing that when seven or eight months ago it decided not to invest in a stone quarry, an expensive and utterly useless speculation was avoided. The quarry at the best would only have been an experiment, and had the Board entered into the stone excavating business, as it was recommended to do, a considerable sum would probably have been thrown into the sea without the slightest advantage to the harbor.

The Board, we observe, is about to meet on Tuesday next. The business to be transacted comprises the election of chairman, the passing of a bye-law fixing the harbor-master’s fees, the consideration of a motion by Mr Moody which provides for the establishment of a sinking fund to meet liabilities arising from the future extension of the Breakwater, and to receive a report on the storage of cement. The proposal of Mr Moody to appropriate the profits from the Landing Service towards future loans for harbor improvements commends itself as wise and farseeing, and -we have no doubt it will be carried. But there is one thing on which a good many would like to be enlightened. Is it intended to put the patent dredger, which now lies at the side of the concrete, like an inarticulated skeleton, to any practical use ? If so, when and how ? Nearly seven months have elapsed since this dredger was ordered from Priestman Bros. It was ordered, hastily it is true, but on competent advice, and so important was it deemed that no colonial mechanic could be entrusted with the work. Its original cost was £970, and when freight and other charges are added the total amount will range between £llOO and £I2OO. Singularly enough, since it was laid down in fragments a few weeks ago, a new method of extending the Breakwater has been discovered. In June of last year Mr McGregor recommended as a precaution that a portion of the monolith should remain unbuilt until the sea had thoroughly shaken the foundation blocks into a permanent position. This plan is now being followed, and the question arises—ls it intended to use the dredger? If it is not to be allowed, like the electric light, to settle down into disuse, it ought to be put together. It was landed in good condition, but the bright steel and iron, like an unhealthy grain crop, is growing red with rust. Because, it is armed with cradles or grabbers instead of buckets that is no reason why the Board should rock themselves to sleep over it. Having expended such a large sum, they ought to let the public see the performance. A good many are anxious for the exhibition to come off. Doubts having been raised as to its capacity for biting shingle or masticating seaweed, these ought to be set at rest. We trust the Board will put their magnificent toy together and get up a little steam. Even if the blocks are allowed to settle themselves some use may be found for the novelty, if it is only to assist in cockle gathering.