The Daily News. MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1903. THE HARBOUR EMPOWERING BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 213, 5 October 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1903. THE HARBOUR EMPOWERING BILL.

The position of the Harbour Empowering 811 is rather pecu'isr. o#irg to the appDintment of a new mfmbe> while the Bill is before the Hgusp, a 1 mo'ion to withdraw it for the session rather than have it amended in a way that would ba mo3t objectionable, wat carried at the last meeting of tb< Board. On Mr Smith, the member in charge, asking to have the Bill sttuck off the Order Paper, the House refueed, several members ohj cting to it beinp so discharged. Various grounds are ; reported to have been given for these objectors, and there is a probability even yet of the Bill being debated. We do not expect to sae it go through under the circumstances, and perhaps in view of the charges of undue haste j that have been made this is just as well ! But it will be a decided advantage] to have a debate on the Bill, so that ratepayers may learn just ex ctly what the 811 dots mean. Mr' Maxwell and his friends have made eo many statements regarding the powers given under the Bill and claimed that it was craftily drawn with the intention of over-reaching the ratepayers that it will ba well to hive the Parliamentary searchlight thrown upon it and thesn statements made by the opponents of the Bill for the purpose of exciting the opposition of the ratepayers, authoritatively denied. Those who have read I the Bill know that the nt-.-pryers have been most carefully protected, not only is the interest payable on the new loin limited, but a further safeguard is provided that no increased rating power is' given to the Board underthe Bill. The most important matter in connection with the Bill, at the present moment, is the ironsand industry. Sic A. J. Cadman has received, it jg stated, definite information regarding the early arrival of the expert who have been appointed by the English capitalists relative to the establishment of the iron industry. The locality where the works are to be established depends entirely on the rep- rt of these experts. Sir A. J. Uadman his made it abundantly clear that considerable improvements are necessary at tho harbour, and even went the length of making an offer to take it over and form a company to effect; the neeeesiry improvements. Strong opposition w/s at once shown to parting with the control of the harbour and placing the control of the future trade in the bands of a company. The Government is also we understand, opposed to the control' going out of the fiands of the Board. Under these circumstances the Board Bhould have the power to submit; proposals to the ratepayers for improving the harbour, if Dectvsary. This is all j the Bill before the House provides for • because a poll cannot be taken oa a 1 loan proposal without the authority of tho Boird, even if tho Bill became law > to-mwrow. In view cf the early ar „ i rival of tho iron exp i ts, the withdrawal or defeat of the Bill will he nothing short of a calamity, and those instrumental in its dofuat will, instead of being the patrio's they prstend to bo > bavo inflected an injury on the wholo ? of Taramki which, whon the works are eroeted elsewhere, will ba beyond recall, ,