WESTPORT HARBOR BOARD

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 81, 4 August 1915, Page 7

WESTPORT HARBOR BOARD

J.'KR I'kkss As.iociATro.s. Westport, August 3. At a special meeting of tiie Westport Harbour Board, Mr F. F. Munro took strong exception to statements that liad got into circulation in some newspapers, giving the impression that the Westport Harbor Board was in a state of bankruptcy, the speaker stating that this was absolutely contrary to facts, a« the hoard had a big cash balance and limitless assets. He instanced a field of -180 acres on the Westport-Stockton Company's property, formerly classed by the Government as "probably coalbearing," and now, as a result of boring, etc., estimated to contain nine million tons of coal, estimated to give the Hftrbor Hoard if all were extracted, £9OO, i OOO, or. if only one-third were extracted, £300,000. The speaker said there were many other similar coal measures in the district. The impression that had got abroad Was probably due to the intention of the board to lay up its small suction dredge, because the board found it could get hotter results by working the larger dredge for longer hours. On Mr Munro's motion, the board resolved: "That the statements winch have recently heen circulated in the press of the Dominion to thej effect that the board's revenue had fallen oil' to a serious extent and is likely to impede development of the port, is not coirect. Owing to the war there is a slight decrease only in revenue, but not of sufficient importance to cause alarm. As a matter of fact, the board's cash fund in hand amounts to £52,000, and the board is quite satisfied there is no occasion ( to fear any stopping of works, necessary for keeping the harbor open and to carry on development work in hand." '