HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 210, 1 October 1903, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

\ SLAUGHTERING THIS EMPOWERING BILO, A special mee'ing of the Harbour Bom!, c > 1 on requisition of ,\l«sst'.; G. McLean, E. M-ixwrtil, and J. ( W. Foreman, waa held on Wednesday morning. Present; Messrs Connect, (chairman), King, Mo Lean, Price, Dingle, Ward, Foreman, Maxwell, and i Hornby. Mr King was voted to the shair, in ; the absence of Mr Oonnetr., who was unavoidably detained at Supreme i' t v/uurc. I.

It was decided to wait a few minutes ; to enable Mr Oonnett to attend, which ; he was able to do shortly after the time ; fixed for m?eti»g> ! In accordance with notice given, j 1 Mr Maxwell moved—"That the | New Plymouth Harbour Board; Empowering Bill be amended so ad to j provide (1) That all tho words after, the words " the said Act" in the sixth < line of clau?e 4 be struck out. (2)' That that part of clause 2 defining the] district be struck out, and the following insarted :—The ratiug district. shall be the whole of the areas com- j prised in the Borough of New Piy-j mouth, the Oounty of Taranaki, and ; that part of the Oounty of which lies north-westward cf the Kahui | R'-iad. And also that oiause six be j amended ko far as it relates to the : rating liistfiec, Thut telegrams signed ' by the Chairman be at mice despatched to tho OhKirmm of thn Loo.i! Hills' Oommitree and t ) each of the m uib -i s of the repr•ssnting Tiranaid » electorates (viz , Messrs Smi'.h, Jen-j ningß, Symes, a>id Major), sueh teln - j grams to embody the above am>;nd- ! ments and to state that it is the desire of the Board that the Bill shall be so amended and that it shall become law this session. And further that the members named be particularly requested to use their utmost endeavour to have the above wishes carried out." Speaking to the motioa Mr Maxwell thought there could be no two opinions as to clause 4, which was simply intended to include certain sections of the principal Act, and leave others out so that the eff ot of the measure would be to over-ride the principal Act, All the country outside the area ho suggested had given a pretty oloar indication that it was averse to the Board's proposals. The country included was better able to say at a poll whether it favoured the expenditure of such a large sum of money as was proposed. He went on to refer to the voting under tho provisiors which was sometimes mide for a ihrea-fifths majority, and con-Merer! it should apply in this Cise. He denied that this was merely

a permissive Bill and obj <etad that the country districts were not on the same footing as the towns, and special provision should be made to meet the difficulty they had in reaching the poll as compared with the people in the towns, He contended the area he proposed was absolutely f-dr, Mr McLean seconded the motion, without any remarks. Mr Foreman said there had been no expression of opinion in the area as proposed by Mr Maxwell, beyond one or two Farmer's Unions passing resolutions of a general character. Oirsida that area there had been very decided expression? of opinion hostile to the Bill. Those who wanted the work should be rated for it. Mr Dingle concurred in this view. He fi.lt it his du'y to his constituents to do all he could to oppose the Bill; but he would like to ask Mr Maxwell if this was another way of killing the Bill. A.t Stratford the feeling was unanimously against it. He felt th<>t if the money proposed to be spent was not going to ba beneficial, then they ought; to oppose the B 11. He kmw from experience that the New Plymouth harbour had been very much more beneficial to the dairy trade thai' Patea. But he considered the Bill hm: been rushed too quickly, and the ratepayers would oppose it. It was not necessary. The harbour required improvement, but thiß could be done with the funds already available. They heard a lot, about surpluses, though he musi, admin he had not been able to fnid it, and their last balance-sheet showed a considerable overdraft, Until the present loan matured he would not vote for an extension. He waj not altogether in sympathy with the motion brought on by Mr Maxwell, but until he was convinced the work could lie done for the money he should oppose it. He was not opposed to the harbour, and was prepared to help extend the shipping facilities. He was a New Plymouth boy and wanted to see the place go but he would be sorry to see the £160,000 borrowed and failure result. He blamed the Chairman and Mr King for rushing the Bill through with too much haste. If they waited a year or two they might bo able to convince the settlers to agree with their proposals. Mr Omoetfc was surprised at the evident dread of the oppononts of the measure of trusting the paople. They talked a lo"; about their having the interest of the people at heart, but they evidently did not thiuk they were able to tbink and vote for themselves on this question. He did n>t mind the opposition to the Bill, bu'; the misrepresentations that had b-en made to influence the ptople.' Mr Maxwell wanted a restricted area, and said only a small area benefitted by the harbour, but the facts proved that the further from the harbour the more it was used. The following return would bear I this out : [ Statement of Dairy Factories passing their produce through the Motorua Freezing Works for the year ended June 30th, 1903. Factories Within a 10-Milb Radius | OP THE BItEAKWATEU.

14,462 107 C Numbkb op Tons passed through tub Works, Batter, 144,481 boxes, 4249| ton?. Ohee3ej 14,623 cases, tons. Number of tons on which Shipping Companies paid fkbight to Wei< LINGTON. £ 3468 tons of butter at 10a 1734 898 toas of ch-:ese at 10j 44S j£2lß! In connection with thii last item hi warned them that the shipping com panies would not piy freight uf.er th< prosant contract expired, and if thej had not facilities for loading the direc steamers here the settlors would havi to- pay this £2183 themselves insten of interest on the loan, though he hel( with the iocivaHod trade of the por varv lifchln interest would be rrnuired

Y very nccie interest wouia do required. i s It had said there was no desire ' e for the Bill, but; they had the Chairman i - of the North Island Dairy Association, i - the Taranaki Fre zing Works, and a 1 number of Farmers' Unions urging for 1 e improved facilities* He thought, in all ' • fairnw, the m itter should be left to | the people to decide. > filr Foreman denied that Mr Hark- i ness w»s justified in speaking for the ' 0 North Island Dairy A-w iciation, s Mr Hornby Baid the factories on the e Waimate Plains were in favour of i - shipping w'tt Patei, and the general 1 » feeling there was iu opposition to the i 1 Bill arid the extension of the harbour. I e Mr Ward said it was wasting time I i to discus* the matter at this stage, as < the question was not one of p'aos or i ' method of d iog the woik, but a doter- < s miaation to block the Bill at any cost. ' ; Mr Oonnett s>id Mr Dingle had < 11 referred to the overdraft, but he would | e like to point out that while the over- I s draft wis as he had said, £2776 at the 1 t end of the financial year, to-day it was •s only .£873. This showed a eubetany tial surplus, " Mr King said it was evidently no! ' much use saying anything now, Mr 1» Maxwell was evidently determined to i' use hi;* mijority to inflict an injustice ■ i' on the district, The matter had been i- threshed out before the Committee of 't the House when he and Mr (.'ouuitt - were iu a minority of. 15 to 2, but h evidently this was not enough. It J was nnxv propos d to saddle two-fifths » of the Harbour District with the who-e lono, while the work was for the bane's fit uf the whole district. He did no! i- think anyoce would be so foolish as to e propose to raise a second mortgage on r two-fifths of the security for the origit nal loin, so the desira was evidently to s make the Bill unworkable. The Bill r was clearly a permissive measure, only, e the opponents were afraid to go to the 3 poll. He denied the Bill had been • rushed, as the proposal had be6n before - the people for monthe. He contended e tbdre werejplenty of people in the arei e proposed to be cut out who were strongly - ia favour of the Bill. He was di-i----1 ajrpjinted with Mr Dingle, who was ii lookod upon as a progressive mm, end f as reginJs th° feeling at S'ratford, th 0 meeting there was very poorly attended, e and not at all representttivo of the district. He would move as an amendn mant that a totegram bi sont to Mr s Smith M.H.R, asking him to with- > r draw the Bill for this 8 ssion. 3 Mr Price seconded the motion as the '1 only thing to do under the circuma stances, oppononts of the BUI 1 were very patriotic. They wanted their d own district cut ou l- , but were willing l • to reap the advantage of the harbour if 3 someone o!se paid for it. 1 Mr Oonnett, speaking to the amend f ment, said the figure* he had qa ited j showed that it was not New Plymouth, r but the country districts which reaped 3 the benefit of (he harbour. It was c there the factories were, and the farmers owned the freezing works, Mr Foreman again denied that the 1 i'Dairy Association or the Fre:zing | 1 Works had ever favoured harbour extension. a 3 Mr Di' gle would vote for tho amendment ; h i would nevdr vote for a resti'iftml rating an-a. *' 3 Mi' M ixwll, a'thoui/li -in nmond- ' ' mont hid b"en moved, cl iiin jd and was c | j itlLiwed a reply, after which a voto was j t'.knn, and the amendment declared 1 carried ' ' The B nrd divHei, !j j Ayes 5. Noes 4. „ J Maxwell *, ' P- i'"fi McLann ' Ward Foreman ' j Online*, t Hornby ' ; Diriple r '' The !• maud ment was then put as tie 1 ' BuViß':<ntive re-«>lutioii, and carriel. ' Tho Ba.irl ro-e. i! ■■ *

Boxes T0I3 cwt qrs Bsll Block .. 295 57 7 2 Praukloy Road 852 21 6 0 Hillsborough 776 19 8 0 Maogorei 9031 225 15 2 Oauta 1274 31 17 0 Tarurutangi .. 680 17 0 0 Morris F. 1<J0 4 15 0 GeA. 29 0 14 2 N.P.Oo-op. .. 2298 57 9 0 Oat tur 0. ,, 50.) 12 11 2 Hurworth 523 13 1 2 Yeulu and Sou 11 0 5 2 18,462 461 11 0 Factories Within a 20-Mii.e Rai JIUS OP THE Hreakwater, B x s ToriS cwfc qr-R Grown Dairy 4283 107 1 ') Lepperton Mo-i Fa.-'s Co, 1904 47 12 0 9714 243 12 0 Onkiira 3208 80 4 0 T'kuiangi 2264 56 12 0 Allan B ,11 .. 174 4 7 0 Mill H. P. .. 151 3 15 2 North Taranalti 1410 35 5 0 Waiter a Road 2318 57 19 0 Colo J. S. 25 5 6 7 2 RaiveyW. .. 256 6 8 0 Pott d. ., 90 2 5 0

Moa Union . 1156 28 18 0 Wright W, R 323 8 1 2 27,536 688 8 0 Factories Outside a 20 mils Radius of tee Breakwater, Boxes Tons cwt qrs Crown Dairy Oo, — Rahotu .. 3634 90 17 0 Urenui .. 1506 37 13 0 Stvathmore 1083 27 1 2 0 irdiff 1286 32 3 O Bltham 18,807 470 3 2 Hawera 4'11 102 17 0 t 1,4!}l Z03 8 2 Midliirafc 12,330 308 5 0 .. 3250 81 5 0 Ngaire .. 300 7 10 0 Normanby 1966 49 3 0 Riverdale 1905 47 12 2 Stratford 11,968 299 4 0 Tama 2264 56 12 2 War< a 3681 92 0 2 Wt.iiui 1500 37 10 0 Whanga'mona 637 15 18 2 Piit'igrow 105 1 12 n Mangatoki 980 24 10 0 Gran villa 495 12 7 2 Pihama 3409 85 4 2 Carruthers 357 8 18 2 Oaonui 5533 138 6 2 Opunako 3900 97 10 0 Gaps Egmcrat 3120 78 0 0 Vincent 287 7 3 2 Various 5496 137 8 0 Total 104,810 2620 5 2 Cheesb Factories outside a 20-mile Radius of this Bbkakwateb. CI ww IWr Cardiff 1772 131 H.iwera 2082 154 : JLowgarth . i 1838 13( j Ngaire ,, • • 3919 290 Riverdale .. 3351 248 | Stratford ,, • 1 1500 111