WAITARA HARBOR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 278, 25 April 1914, Page 3

WAITARA HARBOR.

THE MEED FOR IMPROVEMENT.

The fact that the Waitara Harbor must be improved if it is to keep pace 1 with the requirements of the district I was stressed at the banquet to tli"'J Minister of Public Works at Urenui on Thursday evening by members Df the Waitara Harbor Board in responding to the toast of local bodies. Mr. ,T. Hine, junr., said that numbers of local bodies often had to try to make bricks without straw. This was an ago of progress, and unless tliev advanced they must retrograde. The.-e was no standing still.. North Turanaki was progressing, and facilities mil it, he provided to deal with its out - put. JJcu'thwick and were practically doubling their, works, so tlier were correct in asserting that the district 1 was progressing. Unfortunately, tlie natural port of the district, the] Waitara river, was not in the condition they desired. , They lmd tried » devise pome scheme vvitliin their financial power to improve the river, ■ but they had failed. The port must) | either progress or fade , into insig- j i nifiriince. He put it to the'settlers prei sent, whether it would not be detri- 1 ; mental to their best interests if their I cheapest port was closed up. .lie asked them to consider this when the Hoard upproauhed them for assia'tiiiico. Tie reminded them that in 1908 the WuI tara Harbor Board, and especially I Messrs. Stubbs.and Ogle, had had theii: i relieved of the liability of tlm New Plymouth Harbor district. Certainly at present the New Plymouth Harbor • Board was not striking a rate, but iiow long fwoiuld that continue? ] There had been difference of opinion on I the Waitara Harbour Board, but lie . considered that when a local body developed into a mutual admiration I society its power for good was practicj ally nil. They had had differences in , minor matters, but on the paramount, matter of harbor improvement they wer.' all unanimous. In conclusion, "lie re- , affirmed that the progress of tlie port , and district were interdependent, Mr. Ogle said that up 4t> six yeius noo ■ the Waitara Harbor Board was in <m unique position. It was a Board with- ! o, rt « district. It had a few I town sections as endowments, and |°? IJIPS '' tlle . r h»d to par rates to the : New Plymouth Harbour Board, They had only steamer dues to depend on i or the upkeep of the harbor, lie aa* 1 mitted tlie manner which the Now Plv- ; mouth people had gone a.,ead with their | harbor, and they deserved all credit for ! ." t that did not assist Waitara with I their 'harbor. It was the main duty ! ot the Uaitara Harbor Board to pr.i- ---; vide for the trade to be derived from : the expansion of the district. If thev I °°" (1 ™'- v make tl,e 'r harbor keep paJe ; with this expansion it would be of ini- ! mcuse advantage to the whole of the , I northern! :part of Taranaki. He had i .been informed by (Messrs Berth wieic' i that their Waitara loading was the , satisfactory in New Zealand, so th'-v Were not likely to loae that. The TTn'- ■ bor Board he said, was now nc<rotiatin«' > ! *'. th " engineer to Evolve a . scheme forlhe improvement of the Wai- - ! a i' b „ nr ' ~ml when they had the ' I \ l 'f a J liem ' t,lP ' y 1 is If", n' ! ! ° f tho (list,,it -'- nml j j ioi their assistance.