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Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 106, 26 October 1863, Page 2

We have at last been abie to obtain the Council Paper containing the Chief Surveyor's report on the New River Harbor, which bears evidence of the same painstaking, careful consideration and ability which characterise all that officer's reports. He has gone into the subject con amove. Beginning with the stale of the harbor when first surveyed by Mr Thomson, he has shown the changes which have taken place since, the gradual nature of those changes, the causes brought into operation to effect them, the result likely to ensue, and, retracing the state of the harbor prior to Mr Thomson's survey, suggests a scheme by which it can be once more brought into the same normal condition, when, to use liis own words, there would be " a single wide and deep channel flowing past the South Head." At first sight the report is rather disheartening, for Mr Fleale has not hesitated in disclosing the truth, however disagreeable that may be — the fact that the present channel is unmistakably closing up. That it is liable to slight changes we are prepared, to believe, for most bar harbors are, but we did not think that the change had been so great; in fact, that while our channel, the best one, had been closed, the present inshore one, had been opened in

years gone by; and thst during the ,last* seven years, a return to the original state of* things has been gradually taking plase,. pending which, of course, the character of the harbor will not be improved. There is, '-however, " a silver lining to every cloud," and if Mr. Heale has shown us the darker side of the picture, he has also shown' the reverse. He states his expectation that " the impact of the ebb against tkVlo"<ver part of the dividing spit below the pilot station may wear through it at that point," and he goes on -to say "" if titl9 were to happen, I have no doubt -that a very great and rapid improvement of the harbour would be the immediate result ; the channel would then be ©early straight, and would meet the prevalent winds and sea at a very oblique angle, whicfo would be so favorable to the passage of the tides in that direction, that I conceive that the passage of the tides over the bar would cease, or nearly so, and then it would immediately shoal up. The dividing spit would consequently work over towards the shore until the inner channel became obliterated, and the mouth of -the harbor would ultimately return to what I conceive to have ; ! been its former and normal condition — of a single wide and deep channel flowing past the South Head, with a great continuous san/lspit extending from the north shore. 7 ' Whatever, therefore, our present state, we may anticipate that there is a good time coming. Mr Heale, however, is not inclined to wait for nature to effect the change, but shows us how we can assist her, and thus make the New River one of the finest harbors in these seas ; and it is to this part of his report we would more particularly call attention. A good deal of time has been spent by the Provincial Council in debating with one another on points of precedent i trifles, light as air, have occupied their grave attention, and this report, remarkable for its ability and comprehensiveness, has Ik- en quietly shelved —no attention paid to the suggested remedy, no sum placed on the estimates to tffect it. W notice that a sum of money has been voted to bring out distressed weavers from Scotland. Philanthropy is undoubtedly, a very praiseworthy feeling, and worthy of encouragement but, like many -other laudable feelings, it requires to be properly directed ; in this particular instance, the philanthropy which begins at home would, we think, have been most judicious. If we can afford to spend money to bring people here, we can surely afford to spend some for the benefit. of those who are already settled amongst us. We are about to spend large sums in the construction of roads and railways, while we grudge all expenditure on our harbors, on the safety and good repute of which depends tlie prosperity of the Province. Facilities for transit to the interior are rendered in a great measure valueless, if freight to our ports continues high. It is true that we have the Bluff to fall back upon, but the extra cost on goods, in the transit from that port to Invercargiil, will form a serious item. When we could by a slight expenditure, slight in comparison to the benefits to be derived, render safe and easy of access the New River, we think the Council would have been justified In incurring it, at any rate the matter was worth consideration. Now, however, it is too late, the money has not been Voted, and the session is over There is one way left in which a permanent fund for the improvement of the Harbor can be established, and that is, by making liberal endowments both of town and rural lands, and this we would strongly urge on the Government. A Harbor Endowment's Act would have, of course, to be passed, and to do this, we shall have to wait until the next Session of the Provincial Council ; but the Government could make ample reserves for the purpose in the township of Stanley and its neighborhood, and also along the line of railway from the Mokomoko to Invercargiil, all the land on the west side of which, as far as Block 111. in the Invercargiil Hundred, being, as we are informed, unsold. This land will be valuable before long, and yield a revenue wherewith we can improve the harbor," and we trust that the Government will at once adopt our suggestion. It is not much use bringing distressed operatives from home to become distressed operatives here ; a*?d unless something is done to our harbors, we fancy we shall have enough of distressed operatives of our own without importing.