HARBOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 175, 27 July 1903, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION.

The news which has reached us per favour of the '• awtrd Star is somewhat of a surprise, lo was known that the members for Taranak; had made recommendations in reference to filling the vacancy caused by tbe death of the late Mr Levi Barter, and that their not neiog able to agree was the cause of the delay in filling the vacancy, The rejection, however of those nominated by the members forTaranaki, Egmon!-,

and Pates, and the uppointtnent of tbe nominee of the member for Hawera, who may be said to represent only settlers oppes d to the harbour, was, to s»y the least, unexpected. One advantage is, that it will shut the mouths of those who are always clamouring that tbe Government nominees are all rtt one end of the districi. Regarding the gentleman to be appointed, p-o----vided he comes with an open mind, he

will be heartily welcomed at New Plymouth, where the desire is to have the country b; hind the harbour improvement scheme, and where there is no intention of d>iog anything without the full concurrence of the ratepayer*. In many ways Mr Ho nby will be an acqu : si ion to the Board. Hi has besn a successful man in business, and his commercial krowlcdge will be an ad-

vantage to the Board, while he has! ; taken such a keen interest In local I . affairs on the Waimate Plains that he is no novice in loml government. He is what may be termed a good all round man, very popular with all chases of the community, capable of taking a

broad ard comprehensive view, His name hss been mentioned more than onca ps a possible candidate for Parliamentary honours, and his strong support was Itrgely instrumental in secur-

ing the Hawora seat for Mr Major, He will probably coma to the Bjard pomewha'. prejudiced against the harbour, but we feel sure that the strength of the case for harbour improvement will soon commend itself to him and S'cure his support, Generally speaking h : s appointment will strengthen the Board, and should give sa'isfaction throughout the harbour dis'rict. Mr i Ha'l-Jotea' statement that he will intoduco a Bill to make the whole j B >ard elective on a population valuation is a very important one, If,

however, tho ward or riding system is I continued, it will mem continual alteration of boucd-iries. If, on the other t hat system is abandoned, the same trouble as formerly existed w 11 arise, in any ca«o the Harbour Board does not rest casa on manipulating the rsprfsjnta'ion, but on the general

recognition of the fact that if Tarana&i is to prosper it musS have a port for oji an going steimers and direct shipment of exports and imports. The day wheu we aro consent to ba an auxiliary port to Wellington is a thing of tho