The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 21, 1905. HARBOUR IMPROVEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7880, 24 July 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 21, 1905. HARBOUR IMPROVEMENTS.

.Slowly Iwl surely the important work (if improving ihe shelter lor vessels coming to Hit' wharf at Moturoa is proceeding. At Friday's uieeims of llu- Harbour Board tinsubject of breakwater and wharf extension was "ONsiilcralily in ni.lcncc, anil a must satisfactory leticr on lln' matter in,m tlu- Hoard's ■ cjfisulliiifr engineer, Mr Maichant, was before the Hoard. The breakwater lias now been carried out an additional seventy-four feet, with the result Hut already much greater shelltr is afforded the shipping trailing nf the port. Tin- ratepayers have not been burdened with any extra late to effect litis mudi-necded improvement, which lias been executed out of revenue alone. The most striking feature connected with the work i.s, as Mr Manila!.l demonstrates, the. economical j.ystein of constiuction adopted by Jiiin, with Jlic approval of Mr Napier Bell, 'the most experienced marine engineer south of the line." II was an experiment, in wbich Mr Merchant bad considerable confidence, ami (be result lias fully justified the course pursued. Ailiniltedly the process i.s a slow fire, but every fool now added to Hie present structure will effect an appreciable ber.elit fo the shipping, and 1 lie Hoard, as well as the public, have the satisfaction of knowing that the most solid value is obtained for every shilling spent. This should tend in no small measure to overcoui; the fears of the ratepayers that' harltour extension works mean waste of money. If was (bis sent intent that was a pow-«-rlul (actor in creating an opposition to a further loan. The satisfactory way in which Mie shipping lias bmi handled al tin- wharf during I lit- heavy Wi aiher this winter , has compared \ery favourably with ' other polls, iinl the growing demands u( the district for export and other kimlreil facilities are such as lo necessitate not only that there shall bo no interruption of traffic, liri( lather that every effort shall lie made tu improve the jiuil, bu Ibat '

it may lie a credit in the district. Tin' Ho.iril is lo be congratulated on haMiiß m.vde an oKcutiv? start on .sound uiiil economical lines, and .Ml" Mai dun l is deserving of I lie highest praise I'.r obtaining such good results Willi sucli small mitiiis. In most other iTtiUes I here would be united action in promolinn; the best lntcri'sls of such a prosperous Uis-

trict h\ ill available means. It is to be h iped that ere long this patriotic principle will prevail here in [place of that jealousy which in the [past bis retarded the prosperity of

the se'i'.lcrs. The time is not far oil when the present loan will mature, and it is therefore not out of place now to set matters in train for the Inew loan, which will certainly be floattd on far move favourable terms than was the case originally. There seems to be adesile o.i the part of some of the members to create a sinking iuml, and at Friday's meeting oi the Hoard a discussion arose on the point, the object being to affirm recognition of tire, principle. It is of little use taking steps In this idinctiuh, so far as the existing loan is concerned, but such a provision may well be considered in regard to the new loan, which may be favour-

ably affected if t'.ie security is en- I hanccd by such a fund, and sufficient money raised to complete the con- | ttmplatcd extension works. The necessary enlargement of the wharf, and the equally persistent dredging operations, arc receiving due attention by the Board, and to further these works it has been decided to impost- an additional charge which will amount to an extra shilling per head on passengers using the port. Even if '.lds charge is paid by the

shipping companies they will he receiving very good value for the same in the greater facilities offered at the wharf for the more expeditious berthing oi their vessels and the greater security obtained. These improvemMs cannot be effected without money, and it is only right thai those who receive the benefits should p.iy their quota of the cost. So much money lias been spent on ihe h.ubour works that their completion \> a matter of honour as well as of necessity. We cannot too strongly uviv vigorous efforts being made to i. move the present reproach to the .l.strici as represented by the ha.lilinishcd breakwater.