The Daily News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1901. THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 216, 20 September 1901, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1901. THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR BOARD.

It is very gratifying to learn, aosorc iDg to the statement made by Mi Connett at a recent meeting of the Nev Plymouth Borough Council, that th< members of the Harbour -Board meai bußmess,at the meeting which is to bi held to-*day. We say this is gratify ing, because, as far as advancing thi interest of the port, twelve months hai been wasted. Owing to the ab enoe o Mr. Newton King the Board has beei divided into two parties of four mem bers each, and the resolutions havi frequently been carried only by th< casting vote of the chairman. Unfortu nately this basting vote has not alwayi been wisely exercised, nor in accordanci with the generally accepted rules whiel govern such casting votes. We sboulc be sorry to think that the chairman i careless about the welfare of the port but the mistakes and blunders of thi past year bave been so grievous as t< demand the serious attention of thi Board. There is no doubt but tha | the interests of the port suff»r ver; much through the continual absence of the chairman, and, if this state of things is to continue, an executive committee, with full power to act, should be appointed without delay, We understand Mr. Ward has given notice to move in this direction; but unless the majority of the members realise the great importance of the matter the motion will probably be hung up, as Mr. Oonnett's motion regarding the sand pump was at last meeting, and the Board will go blundering on for another month or so. It is not pleasant for us to have to continually write in this strain, but we fear that unless drastic remedies are applied to the existing state of affairs the trade of the port will suffer, A number of matters ha»e come under our notice lately which lead us to fear that things are not at all satisfactory. It is to be hoped that members of the Board will

insist on a full inquiry into the the harbour, and the instrun*i,„ „*. by the chairman « a asK?'f W depth of the water continued good much the same as the last report I is rather significant that no soundings were g.ven, and still more so to Jearn that one of the Uuion Company's steamers touched bottom when coming At that meeting tjfcaptam of the Northern Company'. steamer N gapu hi complained of f h Wat the captain of the Tafcapunr, ha trae back, when he had to sr . Iway to a berth flB 4»*J further stated that he found tb 1 meantime had put iT apn« ln *t! *«a that orders havT'-\ ** given rhv +k„ u • 6lnce D °en given the chairman we that warps are not to bo r • P r i sels which entpn tl f ' lV6n to vesnals Til ? ? por ' sigthepo r ? is^ rorieWiytop°pu,ariprovided for v r els f r' ity Bh " U,d te *" hours. The Tost 0 - tom °'T d f at ■m very s \il7 ° [ a COU P Ie of ™ n -oonv4tt t : t T /,in e tbe,oßSaDd ay ott >orwis9 cau ~<] Manv < f tW trains s3V erefore » to depend o> slm?Mi? the ' aim " f Boar , for fll tO - Pn ' vide ev «ry convenient «* those using the port. We do n "

propose to refer to the sand pump further than to express the hope that the motion to stop expenditure on tha costly luxury will be carried. The Board has, however, indulged in another luxury, which, from all wo can learn, bids fair to be about as useless and, in a small way, as expansive as the sand pump. We refer to the windmill recently erected *o wirk a pump for a water supply. This seems to have been a blunder from tie start. Perhaps the Board would malel public all the particulars of this iuve "■- ment, because the story goes that the cost of this windmill was .£55, although an equally reliable firm was prepared to supply one of the same power at £37, and send an expert to erect it. It in also stated that the windmill is placed in a position where it is sheltered from all the prevailing winds and' wtlKbe. standing still half its time. Al r ead\ the main shaft has had to be very considerably lengthened, which,-besides the cost, means loss of strength and power. It is also stated that the Board refus°d an offer to provide a gravitation supply which would have insured cheapness, quantity and permanence. We feel sure many of these expensive blunders would not be made if the Bjard had a chairman living on the spot, who had the best interests of the port at heart, and was desirous of working efficiently and economically. In the matter oi the removal of the " dead end " on the

wharf, which has practically rendered j an expenditure of over £3OOO useless, I a committee of the Bo rd met the railway engineer and agreed on a remedy, but the absence of the chairman prevented it being effected till after the meeting of the Board. The result of this delay was that it cost the Upolu 9d a ton extra to discharge her cargo owing to her unloading having to be repeatedly stopped while loaded trucks from the Ngapuhi were taken away and replaced by empty ones. When it suits the chairman he appears quite able to take the responsibility of acting alone, and this reminds us that his

action regarding the position of foreman, to fill the vacancy caus d by the resignation of Mr, Lindsay, requires some explanation. At the last meeting of the Board applications for this position were considered. Those received were : H. Erethey, J. Purdie, G. Ooniiett, K Rogerß, A. Q. Fraaer, J. Penwarden, J. P. Goorge.J. Duncan, A. E. Peddle. There should not have hoen much difficulty in maknig a selection from so many good applicants, and Mr. Ward proposed aid Mr. Sarten seconded, that Mr. G. Connett be appointed. Mr. Connett had been in the employ of tbe Board foi some time and had proved himself a most capable man. The chairman, however, after moving an amendment that Mr. H. Freethey be appointed, got the appointment held over till the arrival of the Engineer. Any onei would have thought, in fairness to the I ■ipplicants nothing further woull be done to prejudice their applications, at auy rate, without some direction from the Board. Rut in the Auckland Herald, of the 7th September, the following advertisement appear: New Plymouth Harbour Board.—Applications will be received at the Board's Office. Brougham-street, New Plpmouth, until i p.m. on Thursday, September 19,1901, from persons holding a first-class certificate as engine-driver, to drive pumping or other machinery when required, and to act as a working, foreman. Applicants to state wages required.—o. Bennell, Secretary. " This looks like a deliberate attempt to prejudice the applications in the bands of the Board. If it was necessary to advertise for fresh applications, why not give suitable men in Taranaki a show ? If the members of the . Board have a proper respect for themselves they will refuse to consider any new applications unless local man have the same chance as outsiders. The whole administration of the Board is id a very unsatisfactory and should be put on a better footing without dehy. We sincerely trust something in that direction will be done to-day.