NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 276, 16 November 1908, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

UK. C. A. WILKINSON'S WARM ( ' AOVOOACY. The Now l'lymuuth Harbor Board's loan proposals were brought before the notice ol' Kllliiini people at Mr. C. A. Wilkinson's meeting on Saturday night, a questioner askbg Mr. Wilkinson how lie reconciled his opposition to Government borrowing. Mr. Wilkinson said there was no analogy between tin; two subjects. The New Plymouth Harbor Board had a loivn falling due, and the people of the northern districts were anxious to improve the port. The people in the south south end of Taranaki were in co-partnership, and they were offered certain terms if they 'would help to have the improvements effected. This proposal was different from the Government borrowing, hi the first place there was a sinking fund provided, insert-id upon the motion of the Premier himself. Secondly, the repayment of the loan was to be made on a differential basis, and it was specially provided by the Act thai, never again would this district he included in the rating area for a further New Plymouth harbor loan. For those two provisions, and for an adequate rating area for the Opunnke harbor he had himself contended. Under the old Act the whole district was liable, to a level rate of thrcc-farthings. I Now the northern district was liable for three times as much as the Eltham people. The people of Eltham 'would lc doing the right thing in supporting the loan proposals, and as a business man 1 he was going to vote for them on Mon--1 day (to-day). He was quite satisfied ' that the Board was putting a good thing : before the people, and Mr. Marx, the ' gentleman who was elected to the Board ' in preference to himself, was of the

same opinion. He hoped that the Board would succeed in making New Plymouth a first-class port. As a final word he advised the people that under the loan proposals they would escape the present high harbor rate.