The Daily News, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1903. THE HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 31, 5 February 1903, Page 2

The Daily News, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1903. THE HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION.

Although very little interest was apparent in the election for members of the Harbour Board at the time of the closing of the nominations, the prospect of a contest in the westeru, or what is misnamed Taranaki South, district seems to in r« aroused interest throughout the harbour district. The result of the contest between Mesars M>ix<vell and Adlam will be waiiod for with vo--j keen interest. It is reparted thai; ffter all a contest will take place in the Waimate district, another portion of the harbour district which is misnamed Hawera, because the whole of Hawera is excludes! fiomthe rating area. No less than three candidates ara now upoken of for tha fcxtraerdinary vacancy caused by the failure to nominate a candidate for fcfee Hawera sub-district The nofuinationa for this ekciion closet} Friday at noon, with the reluming officer au New Plymouth. The polling for Twaaifei South takes place en Mondiy next, asd bfjth Mr Maxwell and Mr Adlara are laiving nothing undone to secure the seit. Th;re are eo less than nine pdling phces, the effic! if the Beard, New Plymouth, beinz ths chief polling pkee, the other booths being Eli ham-road sehuol-beus ; the Opuuake Town Hall; the Oaouui Diiry Factory , the Ro»d Board office at Rahotu ; Pusgarehu Tewn Hall; Mr Roebuck's house, Okato; Mr

T. Morris' hour*, Timaru; and; the Hall at Warea, The district extends from the Taungitara river, the old boundary between the Hawera and Taranaki counties, to within a short distance of New Plymouth. The whole district contains 625 ratepayers, but the number of votes exercisable ia considerably larger, because each ratepayer has one vote on a valuation of £IOOO, two votes up to £2OOO, and for £2OOO and upwards three votes. The general opinion appears to bs that Mr Adlam ij will receive strong support, as he is a steady gein?, well known, and highly rcspscted farmer, and while in favour of a progressive peliey, he ia E.rongly opposed to increasing the burdens of the ratepayers. His idea is that greater economy should be shown is administration, and the surplus revenue thus g«n»d devoted to improving th* port. Katepayers voting for Mr Adlam may depend on receiving faithful service, and on bsing represented by orje who will safeguard their interests, and at the same time favour geund progressive measures. In the ca*e of Mr Maxwall, evury on", and no one morn readily than oountiy settlers, will recognise that in the p st he h?s donv yeoman serv.ee When Mr Maxwell was first elected, he helped very tniteiinlly t* pull the Board out of its difficulties*, and with a carefully

matured system of dredging, and (he protective apron of stone work put the braekwster and port in a perfectly eafe and sound posit ; on. Where he Ins failed i* in spending money that should have been used in progressiva work in the ueelees sand pump, etc. The ertc tion of the sand pump was bad enough t>ut was to eoaae extent excusable ue an experiment, but the tie ormined way fee persisted in continuing to work it after it bad proved an expansive failure was inpxcusable. Mr. Msxwell has r.-ot rec;\i<n!s«d tho necessity of ' adopting a vigorous policy of ex end- < ing tb- breakwater which the import- : uuce of tha harbour demands. The aignint«', us'id regarding tho volume of trade is no argument against an exte-.i- ' sion of the facilities for shipping bocause every student of commercial pro- ': grtss knows ihat the greater toe facilities the greater the trads and lacking a at the area drained by the j ,;t at fc Moturoa there need be bo fear but ? that given the facilities for placing I

their produce on tha markets of the world on equal chances with Wellington and other centres the products will increase with a rapidity that will be surprising' Of course Mr Maxwell will receive very strong support at the Opunake end of the distriot where there is s:ill soaae hostility to the harbour at Moluroa, and this may put him in; but a strong progressive policy outlined by him weuld secure him very general support on account oJ bis intiaia'o knowledge of the position and experience as a member. -