THE HARBOR QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 158, 25 June 1908, Page 4

THE HARBOR QUESTION.

K'iVERLEA !>l PPOUTS THE SEW WILL. A meeting ot ratepayers convened by Mr. .1. Kit-ham-on «a> "held in the Uiviv-1 1 lea Hail on Jue-Mliy evening. A large audU-ii.v wii cxjKVK'd, a» a guou dealtot 1 ini<iv?t if, taken in the harl>or quoiio'i iu the RuviUm district. The weather eunditK»n& T however, were very unfavorable. and there were only thirteen ratepayer* m attendance. Mr. Uiehardsou, who was voted to the chair, dealt with the Ml! in detail. Mr. ■ Marx had aairt that the interests of the I people all throughout tin- third sehedul.* district were identical, hut the speaker maintained that thi* immediate district was more interested in New Plymouth than Patea. If the hew Bill |»a*sod tlw House without its vital clauses being interfered with it must be to the advantage of the ratepayers in the third schedule district. 'The advantages the new Bill offered Mr. Itiehardson then briefly referred to. I'uder the" new pro posal money for payment of interest was to be obtained from sources which had never beeu available previously. The speaker was assured that the ratepayer* of the Waimate Plains district had taken up a. wrong attitude iu regard to the Bill, as the poiuts raised now seemed to be Patea port versus X< w Plymouth. He contended that the ratepayers all over the Plain* would Ik» much better off under the new Hill. The suggestion that steamers of the Athenic class should berth at New Plymouth, Mr. Richardson said, should not be slighted. It was 1 quite prolttble that (his would be done, and it would certainly I>e in the beat interests of the whole of Taranaki. la reference to the opposition to the Bill, Mr. Richardson said that Mr. Hughes had taken an active part, but when Messrs McLean and Maxwell's meetings were held Mr. Hughes had repeatedly said that if a sinking fund were included he would be satisfied, and if this were done and he did not help the Bifl h j would not oppose it. But Mr Hughes ,had opposed it in every shape and form, and the climax was reached on Monday, when in a letter to the Star he said all the Plains people's interests were in Patea port. Mr. Hughes had really gi>n<* back on what he had said when the Bill was first discussed. Opportunity was then afforded those present to opeu up a discussion, but none eventuated, and Mr. Uiehardsou moved the following resolution:—"That this meeting of ratepayers fully approves of the proposed new Bill, and is of opinio i that it is in the best interests of all ratepayers in South Taranaki/' —'Seconded by Mr 0. Gibson and carried unanimously.—Hawera Star. MR. JIAXWELI/S REPLY TO MR. MARX.

In a letter to the Hawera Star, Mr.J, Maxwell savs:—"Mr. Marx is evidently incapable of recognising what is honorable and what is not, for he, in dealing in your issue of Monday last with the disclosures as to the position the ratepavers are in under the present Ae.. states that lie on the 3th 'line disclose 1 the position to a nmimittee of eighteen gentlemen, putting liet'ore tl.em my opinion on the matter, lie did this \tlien 1 he was bound to secrecy on the Miliject. "Whether I iva< right or not as to the importance of this matter being kept absolutely confidential, the fact remains that Mr." Marx knew nothing whatever about it until 1, to prevent him taking up an attitude that 1 considered against the interests of the ratepayers, disclose.! the position to him under a distinct pledge of »ecrecy. And now e,' tries to vindicate his actions in conn etum with opposition to the Ilill by c-,:»lly admitting that.be betraved the tru-t. \\ hetln-r after suclt an admission »t treachery ratepaver* will have tbe sliixlitest confidence in him or not remains u> be seen. But for hint to suppose 1 !ut his having disclosed tbe position to tbe cuiinnillec in any way (quite apar'. from tlr. l ipiestion of treachery! clears him i< simply ridiculous, for his actions at tiic ni'i'!Ing of ratepayers, his repealed reiier.tion of what he knew, and now admits , lie knew, to be contrarv to fait, and es-1 peciallv his contemptible behaviour at \ the Otakeho meeting. where he pretend-1 ed be had information discreditable to | me, proof of which be inferred was con-1 taiued in my confidential letter to him, aud also his betrayal of the trust, proves beyond question that he is incapable of putting the matter fairly before the committee, and also the fact that the members of the committee were elected by the ratepayers on misrepresentation and delilierate' misstatements made by Mr. Marx.

-Now as to the position disclosed. M \ Marx, to try and cover up his discreditable behaviour, attempts to detract from the seriousness of the matter, but ill doing so overlooks the fact that he cuts from under his own feet the very last argument against the Hill he bad the slightest chance of maintaining, viz., that, knowing by past bitter experience how little consideration could be expected from tile Hoard, distrusting the Board and the Hill, it was better to sit tight on the Act. Xow where is he? lie knows the Act is worthless, and that so far as any- provi«ion or protection under it the ratepayers will lie liable for the whole amount of the interest, £ii(illl). and that for ever. He knows all about what is called the sinking fund robbery and the failure to secure from the Board any of the endowment revenue or anv other relief in th»- past. And yet V could suggest that the ratepayers ar,safer, lieing absolutely at the mercy oi

any future Hoard, than they would be under the Bill, which puts their position lievond question.

'He says: in fancy I sec Mr. Maxwe'i or Mr. Him* being asked to agree to having all land revenue subsidy diverte i towards payment of interest on a second loan.' Mr. Marx knows very well it is vi<>i a question of how Mr. King, Mr. Hine. Mr. Maxwell, or Mr. Marx hinnelr can I* trusted. Tliev happen to be member* of the Board to-day. but is Mr. Marx prepared to answer for the members of all future Hoards any more than 1 am prepared to answer for Mr. Marx now?

"The point is: Should the ratepayer.* k- left at the mercy of this or any futuiv Hoard: Tlw» Board i> dealing fairly with them. they (except Mr. Marx. Mr. and Mr. Thompson) are prepared to put the ratepayer* in u perfectly -K-ure position tinder unquestionably fair, and I niijrht say. under the circum-tance-i. »enerous term-. ]f the ratepayer* under the advice of Mr. Marx and other. retu-e the-e terms and ehoos.« to remain under the Act. under whieb. they are everlastingly liable for all tip interest without any a-si-tanee from an* of the source- o!lered to them, could they blame any future Hoard for applying :«» a second loan the very sources of income they are offering the ratepayer- under the tir-t loan and them to accept, if the ratepayer* refuse to accept ? 1 "And by the refu-al what possible ground- will Mr. Marv have to ;:ive tlie raw-paver- to re-i-t any future loan confined to a -mall area around Xew Plymouth. «»r to prote-t the diver--ion of ill'* land fund? The fact that diver-ion do?* not requite an Act of Parliament. but a simple resolution of the Hoard, must not. be overlooked. "If the Bill i- killed a seeond loan will Ik* obtained, and mo-t a--uredly the -oune-, of revenm now ollricd to th n pre-ent ratepayer- will be partly orj wholly applied to it. v I