The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1901. THE HARBOUR QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 22, 23 January 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1901. THE HARBOUR QUESTION.

j A lbttjer has been sent to us by Mr, Standish en the question of the conversion of the Harbour loan, but 9s Mr. Standish has secured its insertion in another journal before giving us time to da so, we are unable to comply with his request to ias3rt it in full, If time jand space permit, we may on some other occasion refer more fully 'to it. Id passing, we may say that briefly, Mr. Standish proposes to I borrow ,£300,000 on the London market, with which to pay off the present loir, and expresses the opinion that, by adopting his proposal a sum of £130,000 will be available for an extension of the breakwater and other improvements at the port. We regret very much that Mr. Strndish should ( have brought forward his echeme at such an inopportune time as the present, as it is calculated to place a false ! issue before the electors at the present election of members of the Harbour Board, and the conditions are by no means favourable for entertaining a scheme at present. People generally like to ascertain the cost of doing what is required before they begin to trouble about the money, and so far the Board has not adopted any scheme of harbour improvement or extension and |s not. [ called upon to consider the question of j large expeodituie entailing any further borrowing. One of the great difficulties ! between the town and country is tbe I I determination on the part of a certain section to get held of a large sum 0* money to spend in some way known only to themselves while the country Wfrlot insists on knowing how it is proposed tp spend Jiha money and what advantages ore to follow before he is prepared to eoasider it. The feeling of the country settlers is decidedly against any expenditure beyond whatis actually necessary to keep the port open. Bafore the country settler will support any lean proposals two things will have to be done. First, satisfy that increased facilties are absrlutely necessary for the shipment of his produce,'secondly jbh&fc tho sum proposed to be borrowed wiIJL give thpse increased facilities. Wo had hoped that ihe Beard would have adopted some scheme of harbour improvement land extension bocause we believe the time hag come when it is absoju.to'iy necessary io the interest of the exporter —as far as the importer goes hisl interests are sufficiently served already. I The Harbour Board however does not appear to co&sider tho time has come for adopting s.ay eebeme, On the whole, therefore, foiling any direct issue to put before the ratepayers we do not see, that ratepayers can do much better I than return the present members who have th? advantage of experience and the majority 01 rMoaj have, we believe, the welfare of the port at heart.