THE HARBOR BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 69, 11 March 1908, Page 4

THE HARBOR BILL.

south taranaki press cuM--UL.Vi. I The meeting lield ou Thursday even- I iug iu Eltham tor the purpose of dla-1 tuning the proposed legislation iu con-uartloui-fyfla Vlie -Now Plymouth nar-. KUhani Argu-). highly satisfactory, aifcl the uiotiou that h.i- tarried was a consistent outcome df the di-cu--iou. We were pleased to set so many ratepayer* present, some ol vthdiu had come lung distance*; and tlie attentive hearing I afforded the speaker-, and the qucslio.iing alternant-. Utok.ii.-d a lively and intelligent iuteic-t in the .po-lion. 1 lie four geullcui.u wh.i -poke ir.jiu the platform. Ah—i-. Al.ivu.ll_. Al.-I.caii, Hughes, and I li.jiii-iiii. ar,- eiitiiled to the l>e-t thanks of 111, ratepayers for going to -v. much tumble in placing ] before them the detail- ol tlu- proposed legislation, but wo mu-i admit that Air. Hughe-, who- appeared to lay some stress upon the fact that lie is the Government nominee on the Hoard, was not particularly convincing iu his arguments. His -pceeh was not at all co.i----1 vincing, but lie made it plain that l.e was opposed to th,. Hill aud finished up by saying that he would vote for it I if a sinking fund were included. It t appears to r*> that Mr. Hughes is not very pronounced in his opinions, and is r likely to be yet classed as a supporter , of the Bill. ' Mr. Thomson's position i was logical and understandable. Ikwas elected ou non borrowing pledges, and to these pledges he intends to remain true, even though the heavens fall. Urcuiustuuces may nave changed since Air. Thomson gave his pledges, borrow-

ing now may ue tin- very wisest policy, nut with rugged aud dogged periiuacity lie atamls by hi-j pledge, i nat i> His position and the ratepayers understand itprobably many oi tneni approve oi it. Aow take the attitude oi Mr. McLean and Air. Maxwell, and let us say, with all deiereuie to the others, that these two gtnUemeu appeared to have tiie more complete grasp of the question and understood its details thoroughly. Ihey are both oi tht-ni trusted and reliable representative* oi the fanners. They hav# bvtli beeu strongly opposed to iurther borrowing, but when a beheiue of borrowing is propounded that in their opinion is going to take a financial burden otf the ratepayers, they are brainy enough to see it, intelligent enoagh to support it, and independent enough to apeak in its favour notwithstanding past pledges. We should imagine that the opinion of two aueh tried I and trusted representatives as .Messrs, Maxwell and McLean would carry great weight with the farmers; if it does not, then tbey have met with «* poor recompense for years of faithful service. In our opinion Messrs. Maxwell and Mc* Lean have taken up reasonable atti-

tudes. They recognise that to make the harbour what the Sew Plymouth people wish it to be further borrowing is necessary. Then they reply, " Well, we have no intention ot playing the dog-iu-tlie-mangcr policy; you may gu in for further borrowing—but pay for it yourselves." If New Plymouth people aiv prepared to rate theuiselve- to double the exient they are doing now. by all means let thein do it. especially when they at the same time introduce the principle of differential rating, a fair principle that we contended for years

ago. Suppose that as a result of the further borrowing the expected improvement? in the harlwur are not effected. Suppose that never an ocean-going steamer lies alongside the breakwater. Suppose that never an additional pound of butter or cheese leaves via the breakwater, then ratepavers in the outlying wards will not he one farthing worse off than they are now; nrovided. of course, the figures supplied by the advocates of the IHU are absolutely reliable, and we believe they are. In fact we are of opinion that the proposed measure shows a way out by which the ratepayers may escape all further rating. If, ou the'other hand, the harbour works should prove successful, then the whole district reaps a decided benefit. This may be a selfish way of placing the question liefore our readers, but w P believe it to be the true position, and that great mainspring of action, self-interest, should prompt ratepayers in this ward to support the Bill.