HARBOR SCHEME MEETINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1918, Page 7

HARBOR SCHEME MEETINGS.

PLYMOUTH OB PATEAT fHE HANAIA MEETING. Then wis a large meeting in the Town Hall, Manaia, on Wednesday night, when the loan proposals of the New Plymouth Harbor Board were explained by members of the New Plymouth .Harbor Board. It was a long and interesting meeting. Mr J. J. Meldon, chairman of the Town Board, {melded. Mr Newton King first thanked the Vigilance Committee for the uniform courtesy extended to him while speaking and asked that the same should be extended to his colleagues. They were there in the interests of Taranaki as a wiole and desired that all should give ; their serious attention to the question. I There had been some misconception over 1 the position, and the Harbor Board had f been bbuned fftr telling the ratepayers | What as members of the Harbor Board [ they thought the ratepayers should 1 know. Conditions had entirely altered ; since 1908, when New Plymouth was a coastal port with the hope that some day it would be a deep sea port In the new loan it was not proposed to go to London to borrow the whole sum at once, but to raise it in the Dominion from time to time aa required, and the Bill alao would give the No. 3 area ratepayers the same privilege as at present, vii, freedom from any future loan liability unless they wished to come in. The harbor was now in a three parts completed state and had a working proit of £9OOO per annum, of which £4500 va» pledged for the payment of interest, audi JSMOOO had ibo been paid to prevent the striking of a rate this year. * THE STRIKING OF A RATE. Be wanted to disabuse them of the idea that the striking of a rate was a threat to induce them to go in for a loan. If that was not carried a rate would have to be struck to meet a deficiency of £4,800 nest August, but if the loan was carried there would be no rate, because important work would be done oct of loan, which otherwise would have to be done out of profits. He pointed out that the shipping companies had kept their promise to recognise the port as an open one when certain work was tarried out, and there was no reason to believe that they Would not keep their later promise to send their big boats to lift the whole of the dairy produce as soon is the 800 ft. additional breakwater was built and some shelter provided. DAIRY FARMERS FAVOR DIRECT SHIPPING. He referred at length to the saving fXnady effected to farmers by direct importation of benzine, manures, etc., ftnd this would be noticeable to a larger extent immediately the direct liners brought their import* and took their exports. There was a saving of Is 6d per ease on benzine, and he challenged Mr Powdrell to say that he could land it cheaper at any other Taranaki port. In New Plymouth they had a harbor suitable for the wants of the whole of Tara- | naki. It waa not his idea to boost New Plymouth, as his interests, like theirs, I lay in the country. His statement that farmers had saved 15s per ton on basic (lag by direct shipment had been denied by Mr Corrigan. Mr King then gave comparisons with Anckknd, wfcere 100 " tons wen sold to five in New Plymouth, showing that fits prices were respectively: 1910, New Plymouth, £3 15s, Auckland £t 3s; 1911, £4 and £3 18s; 1913, £3lßc Sd and £3 18s; 1914, £4 and £3 18s. Add to this the coet of mtaf and the saving was more than he said. (Applause.) Mr Corrigan: Yon are a side-tracker! l£f«Xing: These are definite state* ments, and I challenge any one to deny tfum. If I aa contradicted, I have a rigM to show that my assertions are eomek Regardtag benzine, Mr King said that they were under the favored nation , ■ U uUasut and could import this direct from 8n ftamlwa At Otakeho, Mr j BJvinl} -*wke repiwented important In diirrbf and meat,

be relied on—bad told them that South- j era cargoes could be got in South Taranaki cheaper via Wanganui than via the ' Breakwater; but in common fairness he I should have admitted that the railage] was less, viz., Class A 3s 9d, B 3s Id, C 2a 7d, D 2s, and E Bd. Mr Powdrell: I'm not a walking encyclopedia. FREIGHT ON SOUTH ISLAND PRODUCE. Continuing, 3fr King said that before the war Kaupokonui had got the bulk of its produce via New Plymouth, but since the war the Corinna could not cope with all the cargo, and as the Union Company had no other boats the Canterbury Steam Ship Company had arranged to send their boats to Wanganui and the produce could be got quicker but not cheaper. Mr Kjng also denied that- super could be got as cheaply at Wanganui before the war, but now when it was being procured from Australia in small boats each port would he on a par. Mr Powdrell had said that it was unsafe to rail meat 30 miles owing to it softening. Mr King read a letter from the manager of the Masterton Freezing Works showing that during five years that company, which had to rail its meat 68 miles—a six tours journey—had never had any difficulty, though at times the meat had had to remain in the trucks overnight. The whole secret lay in the freezing of the meat in the first place. Mr Powdrell had also made a statement that the Dairy companies in North Taranaki had invested £25,000 in the meat company which would obtain the whole amount in rent within a year. He had wired the manager, who replied that if the store was full all the year the total revenue would be £17,000, against which was the cost of handling, freezing, etc., £14,000. Mr Corrigan: You must have a dear method of handling! Mr King: It has been shown already that Moturoa is handling its produce 12s per ton cheaper than at Patea. He would not impute motives of knowingly making misrepresentations but wrong statements should be corrected. Mr Powdrell: I will reply on the platform. Continuing, Mr King said that tt Otakeho Air Powdrell had said if the ratepayers gave a favorable vote, Mr. King would say what fools they were. The Inference was that all the members said was fabrication. There' could be no other construction. Mr Powdrell: Nothing of the sort. Mr King, on resuming his seat, intimated that he was willing to answer any questions. (Applause.) -MR HUGHES SPARS WITH THE OPPOSITION. Mr D. J. Hughes addressed the meeting briefly on similar lines to previous meetings, also having an occasional sparring iiiatcb with members of the opposition. He referred also to the possibility of importing salt direct from Australia. He declared himself an advocate for no rate, and was so convinced that no rate would be required that he issued a challenge to pay any rate levied during' the period of the loan on all land owned by Mr McPhillips and the chairman.

Mr MoPhillips: I would not accept it. It would be bribery! Mr Wilkinson expressed his pleasure at seeing the same "old gang" who bad been tailing up at the meetings with the object of discrediting the New Plymouth Harbor Board in the eyes of the ratepayers. They were going to hear both sides of the question, as Mr Powdrell had indicated that be would deal with them later on. Mr Powdrell had told them that at previous meetings but up to the present his explosives were a "dud." I Mr Powdrell: You only get one vote ! at Otakeho! | Mr Wilkinson advised Mr Powdrell to be quiet while he had his say. intimating ftat he would do likewise. This was not a shareholders' meeting where Mr Powdrell could flatten out any one who stood up- ! NO RATE YET TO PAY. j After a little further sparring with Mr Corrigan Mr Wilkinson referred at length to the steps taken in connection with raising the previous loan 10 years ago, when, though the proposals were ridiculed thev had alreadv seen boats of 0,000 and .10,000 tons at New Plymouth new i&d a xaie la pai JSM

trssent proposal was a better one, as it would enable tliis, the richest province in New Zealand to be independent of Wellington and otlier outside centres. They had been told by Mr Powdrell that the freight on the boats for Wellington to Patea were ao high that they paid the whole cost of running the boats. That the speaker considered an outrage which should not be toleratedMr Wilkinson said that the fact that the Harbor Board had taken 10 years to expend £IOO,OOO, which had been expended wisely and well, and had not found it necessary to strike a rate, entitle! the Board to the confidence of the ratepayers and justified them fh asking the ratepayers to consider the matter of the proposed loan fairly and not listen to side arguments. (Applause.) The scheme was the outcome of the thought of the country members as well as of the town. 3"ie considered they had tha opportunity of making New Plymouth the best artifi"',al harbor in the Dominion, and better than some of the natural harbors. He outlined the work that had been done, also the present financial position of the Board, pointing out that if the loan was reio'-ted they would in 1010 be faced with a deficit of less than £SOOO. to meet | wb i -li a rate would have to be struck over the whole area of £IIOOO.OOO, and I in hundreds of instances the rate woul'l | be that small that it would not be worth the use of collection. If the loan was carried in ft few years they would make the harbor safe for the largest steamer and for many years—perhaw never—he was convinced there would be no rate to pav. At present the dredge was five times too large to deal with the annual maintenance A SCHEME OiP PROGRESS.

In the interests of the ratepayers, it should he kept fully employed, and therefore for four-fifths of the work done they were asked to find the capital cost. If they shut down the dredge they could get along without a rate. At present they could not procure a smaller dredge, and considered it was better to put a scheme of progress before them rather the,ll have stagnation. If they backed up the scheme he ronsidered they would do themselves an"enormous amount of good. At present the coastal freight on dairy produce was paid by the Shipping Companies, hut it was not safe to bank on that continuing always, and when it did stop, if New Plymouth was available for the largest boats the dairy companies would have a second string to their bow in negotiating with the shipping companies. When the railway came to Manaia — Mr Corrigan:lt will come a bit fuether next election! Mr Wilkinson emphasised that Manaia was going to get a railway and would have had it but for the war, and if any one complained of the dolav owing to the war they had only to think of what Canada had done in taking up 1000 miles of line and sending it to France. Mr Corrignn: Don't take it seriously. THE HARBOR ENDOWMENTS. Mr Wilkinson then referred to the magnificent endowments given to the harbor which had been recognised as a work of natural importance, being the only suitable place for a harbor on the Wert Coast. He then gave figures snowing that with the coastal freight thrown in produce could be railed cheaper to New Plymouth from Manaia, the cost beig 12s lild as compared with 13s ?i> and moreover there would be a saving in insurance, which was extra for (Patea. A bogey had been held up that South Taranaki had so much interests in Patea, tn.ir it would not pay to disturb them. It was stated that they had £75,000 in the Patea Meat Works, £70,000 in the 'Patea Refrigerating Works, and £30,000 in the Shipping Company. He held that there was no such investment at all. Kaupokonui Dairy Company had in the Refrig-ci-atine Company £36 do, and in all probability less than £3OO cash had been •op.id; the Joll Company had £3 k 224; and Mangatold fIIAOO. He did not know what shares Riverdale and Hawera held, I but he would venture to say that the | whole cash inverted by .Taranaki factories did not represent £SOOO actual cash. Mr Powdrell: That is absurd! Mr Wilkinson: Kaupokonui with £250 is the only factory interested in the Meat Company. Tn regard to shareholders, lie would sav that tTiere were not more than one quarter in TaTanaki. In regard to the Pippins Company, Mangatoki held .■ears and Joll £9152, and their figures spoke for'thoMelves.