The Daily News. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1901. THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 272, 18 November 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1901. THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR BOARD.

The meeting of the Harbour Board held on Friday last was one of the most important; that has been held for some time. Several questions were dealt with in such a way that it may also be said to be one of the most satisfactory meetings. The frightful waste of money that has beeu going on in connection with the sand pump has at last been stopped, and we hope the Beard will lose no time in getting rid of that white'elephant. It is , amazing in the face of what has been said and published from time to time that a majority of the Board should hare main- | tained it so long, and country ratepayers should carefully read Mr. Parr's | 'report to see how their money has been wasted. It is estimated that this sand pump experiment has cost the ratepayers between £6OOO and £7OOO, the pump itself, possibly worth £IOOO, being all they have to show for the expenditure, and this is making no allowance for the cost of removing the large quantity of sand which has madly

been pumped into the harbour during the past month. Another matter which we hope will be allowed to for a time at least, is the " hola in the wall." Although we do not look upon the recent foolish pumping of sand into the ■till water at the root of the breakwater as on all fours with Mr. Sarten'a proposal, that gentleman will be wise to cease from further agitation at present. As has been pointed out on several occasions, the sand troufila is not the most ssrieus question at present. The greatest drawback now troubling the Board is the limited wharf accommodation; and the impossibility of increasing it without further protection by extending the breakwater. The present dredge, the Thomas King, has proved capable of dealing with the sand in the existing sheltered area. Any increase in that area would very probably require increased dredging power, or some other proposal for dealing with the sand, if lengthening the breakwater was found to cause an increase in tke accumulation. Many people hold the opinion that the extension of the breakwater would have the effect of reducing the quantity of sand entering tha harbour. The question of extending the breakwater brings us to another, and the most important matter which 'came before the Board on Friday, namely, Mr Napier Bell's report on the harbour as a whole. This report is extremely gratifying in several respects. In the first place Mr Bell completely justifies the action of those responsible for the present site of the breakwater, instead of connecting Mikotahi and Moturoa. He also completely endorses Mr Marchant's proposal for extending the breakwater and wharves. He further points out that all the dangers and difficulties of working the port would be removed by the proposed extension, and vessels berthed there would fear no weather. Mr Beli's estimate of cost is also pracSicaily tho same as Mr Marchant's, although he advocates delaying the erection of the eastern wall and devoting tho cost to extending the breakwater an additional 160 feet, or an extension of 1060 feet in all. It appears to us that the Harbour Board should hold a special meeting to consider Mr Bell's proposals, and see if the means can be produced to carry out tho work. We are strongly of opinion that with care and economy a start could be made at once. There is no probability of a more favourable time than the present, because the Railway Department has all the necessary plant on the ground, and if the same men could be secured as have constructed the railway reclamation wall, the success of the work would be assured. Work of this kind cannot be rushed, and under any circumstances the construction of 1060 feet of break water would probably take several years to complete, so that the annual expenditure would be within the means at the disposal of the Board. The present increase in the revenue of the Board may be expected to coutinup, and to increase more rapidly as the harbour is improved. As toon as a certainty of direct steamers froquenting the port is realised, a great deal of the present hostility to the Harbour Board will cease. The port will then attract the small steamers that low frequent Waitara, Patea, and even Wanganui, and the advantage to settlers will be very great indeed.

Notwithstanding the Fedeivl tariff, a large proportion of New Zealand's trade with Australia it not affected by it, and the proximity of New Plymouth to Australia has, already, caused it to be pointed out as the best port for trade with the Commonweath. What is wanted now is for the Harbour Board to adopt a plan for the improvement of the port, and proceed steadily and systematically with its development.