WANGANUI DEFENDS ITS HARBOUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 May 1927, Page 7

WANGANUI DEFENDS ITS HARBOUR

HOSTILE PROPAGANDA

ANSWER TO CRITICISM (Special to THE SUN.) WANGANUI, To-day. According to Mr. A. G. Bignell, chairman of the Harbour Board, Wanganui port is faced with very considerable opposition from outside. Even lying cables had been sent to the Old Country in the'effort to disparage the port in the eyes of shipping firms. He knew this was correct, for lie had copies of the cables sent back to him. He had had some interesting experiences when endeavouring to get consignments of steel landed direct at Wanganui. In one case he threatened that if the firm in the Old Country could not arrange to send the steel direct to this port he would place the order in America. They had another glaring instance recently in regard to the S.S. Queen Maude, which was obliged to sail from England empty to an American port before she could get cargo for this port. “However,” added the chairman, “with all their influences at work we will beat them in the end.” A rather novel excuse was given by Mr. Lovegrove, a new member of the Harbour Board,, for supporting Mr. Bignell’s nomination as chairman. Mr. Lovegrove strongly opposed Mr. Bignell during the election campaign, and last night seconded his nomination because, he said, Mr. Bignell had got them into a mess, and it was only right that he should get them out. His remarks were criticised by others, who contended that no public man had ever done more for the Wanganui port that Mr. Bignell, and as far as the port was concerned large vessels now entering provided sufficient demonstration of the wonderful development, effected and was a complete answer to biassed and unfair criticism.