THE POTENTIALITIES OF NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 September 1918, Page 7

THE POTENTIALITIES OF NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

To the Editor. Sir, —I think it is tobe regretted that during all the present discussion as to the merits or otherwise of our harbor the ease has only been presented in a parochial or at best in its provincial light. The late F. A. Carringtou, when laying the foundation stone of the Breakwater, spoke at great length on the peculiar advantages of New Plymouth's position as compared to. other ports in the Dominion. In so stating, he was no wild dreamer or fatuous local enthusiast. He simply stated t.he bare facts as they appeared to any unbiassed student of tlie position. o,i the West Coast of our country there are no natural harbors, except at places where the back country is of difficult access. The West Coast of this /air land of ours is the coast. Its climate is better, its soil is better, its mineral wealth is incomparably greater. It is hundreds of miles nearer civilisation and the great avenues of commerce. And New 'Plymouth is the centre piece of the West Coast, and don't you forget it. It's wonderfully productive back country and its latent possibilities should be an argument to convince any reasonable pu ; on that our harbor shov.ld be improved until it is capable 01" accommodating the largest shins fifiuut. Jiut this reason is as nothing compared with many other reasons. \\'e i ever oetueu to hear of Wellington's central position.' Noxv I will give vou I lie distances of various ports from New Plymouth with Wellington distances from, such ports stated in brackets. New Plymouth from Wellington 173 miles. New Plymouth from Nelson 144 miles, (105 miles). New Plymouth from Pic-ton 130 miles (51 miles.) New 'Plymouth from Wastport 201 miles (225 miles New Plymouth from Grevmouth 2to miles (276 miles). New Plymouth from Hokitika 2GS miles (295 miles). New Plymouth from Kaipara 107 miles (301 miles.) New Plymouth from Hokianga 229 miles (301 miles). New Plymouth from Onehung'.i 140 miles (1100 miles.) New Plymouth from Wanganui 105 miles (108 miles.) New Plymouth from Auckland f,C6 (547 miles). The distances are those given in the New Zealand Nautical Almanac. They show that in two instances only i 3 Wellington the nearer port. New Plymouth (Greymouth and Westport only excepted) is easily the nearest port to Sydney in New Zealand. So much for distances. New iPlymouth has access to the ports named by the fastest 'as well as the shortest route. There are no straits, tides or rips to contend with in the usual routes from New Plymouth to the places named excepting to Wellington. The claims of New Plymouth for proper harbor accommodation are imperative in , the interests of the Dominion in gcnc-ral and the West Coast in particulaiv-I am, etc., NEMS.