The Daily News. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1903. HARBOUR MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 44, 19 February 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1903. HARBOUR MATTERS.

The re-election of Mr J. B. Oonnett, rs Chairman of the Harbour Board, was a foregone conclusion. Mr Oennett has a knowledge of the affairs of the Bjard, and has bo"h the will and the time to devote his best attention to the business of the harbour, that he is the right man in the right place. We hope be will be able to signalise his next term of office by a commencement cf progressiva work. There are those who ridicule the idea of starting the extension of the breakwater out of revenue, and talk about it taking 30 or 40 years to comp'ete, but they forget that the sum of £3OOO to .£SOOO, which it is estimated is available, will go a long way in wages, and, seeing that the Bond has all the plant needed for some months, the cost of labjur will be almust the sole item of expsuditu'e. Wben the breakwater is extended sotnei dis'ance, monsy will ba required for wharf extension, etc. We do not, foi a moment, suppose that the work is to be continued at the £3OOO a yen- rate, but we have the experience of Napier to show that if, during the next twelve months, 50 febt can ba added to the breakwater, it would be an exceedingly wise thing to do, and much better than waiting till arcaDgetneniß are made for £20,000 or £30,000. Work on that basis could start next week and the arrangements for the larger sum required be going on in the meantime. The statement that the werk of extension had com-m-jcced and out of revenue would have an exceedingly beneficial effect on the district everywhere and prove a better advertisement than the borrowing of £IOO,OOO. As regards tha raising of funds to carry out the woik expeditiously we see no reason why the Board should not get a loan from the Government on the same terms as the Patea Harbour Board has done. There with no rate or other security, other than a buoyant revenue, the Government has lent the South Board £25,000, £IO,OOO of which is for new work. If the Pa'ea Board is good enough for £25,000 the New Plymouth Board, with its larger business, larger revenue and larger surplus, should be good enough for £50,000 to £60,000. This with the amount available when the present loan matures, should give tho Board at least £IOO,OOO to spend without any increase of the rates, rather, in fact,aconsiderablereduction of the rate, as it is reasonable to suppose that when the money is raised to pay off the present loan that it will be got at from 3| to 4 per cent instead of 7 per cent which is now being pai'd. No doubt the committee of the Harbour Board which has been appointed to go into the matter will give our suggestion due consideration. If New Plymouth is to prosper some steps mugi be taken to draw the trade of Patea, Opunake, Mokau and Kawhia to the breakwater instead of our resting satisfied to remain on the same level as the ports we have mentioned.