The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1903. THE HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 24, 29 January 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1903. THE HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION.

The nominations for tha New Piy. mouth Harbour Board, which clog d Yesterday, shew, as we indicated on Monday, that the bitter hostility to the harbour is dying out, Messrs OoDnett, King, and Foreman have been returned, and a strongly progressive man in the person of Mr Richard Dingle has beenre'uraed unopposed fVr Stratford. Fjr the Waimato P.aus littte or no interest was taken in tho election, and Mr McLean's nomination arrived too late. This is a striking contrast to the experienca of a few years ago, when the Plains ran a strong anti-harbour league, and sent the strongest opponent of the harbour it i could find to represent it on the Boar 1. In the Opunake district an a'tempt has been made by the local p.per U fan tha dying embers of harbour oppo sitioa into flame, but the result is that Mr Maxwell, the retiring memb'-r, fiiide himself oppsed to Mr Adlam, supporter of progress, although oppo ed to any inceaso in the ra'e. Dmli.g wi'h the question of the election ii support of Mr Maxwell's candidature, the Opunake Times sys: -"Tee quession of extending the breakwater is to be made a leading oae in the future, and it behoves ratepayers in this par', of th* district to have a representative .who is acquainted with all the workings of the Board to look after and conserve their interests, In the meantime the proposal is to usa mrplos revenue for the purpose, and if there it euflHent bona fide surplus to do any effectivwork we do not think the ratepiyer? ojuld f t el aggrieved at it being npplifd in that manse-, alhough many rafc* payers think it should bi app'ied towards paymont of interest and corresponding reduction of the harbxir rah." Aftar(xpre?sirg the opinion tint the appointment of Mr Harkness by thGovernment to the vacancy caused by the death of Mr Sarten, which, our contemporary considers, will not meat with favour on that side of the mountain, it goes on to say: -" We trust if there is a contest for this ward that ra'epayers will bestir themselves and turn out on polling day to and see that they return a man who they can rely on really representing their wishes." While we readily recognise that Mr Maxwell, in formur years, did some good service on the Harbour Board, ratepayers must always remember that he absolutely wasted many thousands of pounds of money (nearly X6OCO it is claimed) in the erection of the perfectly useless sand pump, and has not evinced any strong desire to push the interests of the port. If Mr Maxwell hopes to get back again on the Board he must make his position clear, and show his intention to work aordially in the direction of secu ing improvement which will enable direct steamers to load at tha wharf and do away with the transhipping to Wellington. There is no doubt but that; Mr Adlara will be strongly supported, as he is a gocd solid progressive mac, who is a truely repr s-n'ative, and has the we'fare of the distnet at heart.'