THE HARBOR SCHEME.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1918, Page 7

THE HARBOR SCHEME.

MEETING AT POHOKURA. A meeting of ratepayers of Toliokura was held at the sawmill on Thursday at 2 p.m. Mr, D, Pitcaithley was voted to the chair. Mr. J. McCluggage apologised for the absence of Mr, Newton King, the chairman of the Harbor Board, and said Mr. King fully intended to address the meetings, but on aecount of urgent business lie could not possibly get there that day. Mr. McCluggage explained the position re No, 3 area being exempt from future loans, and said this clause and the differential rating clause were embodied in the present Bill. The province had progressed so much since the last loan, 10 years ago, that it was recognised by farmers all over the province that furtliei* improvements were urgently required to enable the largest steamers to come in and ship their produce direct. ; Tihe board engaged the best marine engineer in this Dominion (Mr, Blair Mason), and this plan was the result of his labors. Although the board is asking authority to borrow £300,000, it is only intended to borrow £40,000 per year for four years, to carry out the urgent work required by ! the shipping companies and to erect shed accommodation. Ten years ngo, when the last -loan -was raised, we only had 12 feet of water in t'he fairway and 16 feet at the wharf, but now we have 25 feet and 33 feet respectively at low water spring tide. If the majority of ratepayers in No; 3 area voted against the loan, then the Bill would be lost, even if every ratepayer in Nos. 1 and 2 areas voted for it. It is, he said, to our best interest to support the proposals. Mr. Pitcaithley said he saw in the press that manures could be landed here cheaper via Wellington than direct to New Plymouth. Mr. McCluggage said that Mr. Newton «mg denied that absolutely at the Kohuratahi meeting, and Mr. Wilkinson, who is a large importer, had endorsed "tliatMr. Pitcaithly moved the following resolution: "That this meeting of ratepayers in the Pohokura district, after hearing Mr. McCluggage, a member of the New Plymouth Harbor Board, on the proposals for the improvement of the port, is heartily in accord with same and is satisfied the scheme is in the best interests of the ratepayers of No. 3 area, and urges all to vote solidly at the poll in favor thereof." • Mr. Prideaux seconded, and said that any farmer who voted against it was going against his own interests, The motion was carried unanimously.