THE HARBOR LOAN POLL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1919, Page 7

THE HARBOR LOAN POLL.

MEETING AT RAHOTU. There was a good attendance of ratepayers of the Kahotu district at the meeting which was called by the New Plymouth Harbor Boaxd in connection with the poll which is to be held throughout the Harbor district, on Wednesday, April 30, in connection with the proposal to raise a loan of £300,000 for providing a deep sea port for Taranaki. Newton jfing (chairman) and E. Maxwell, a member of the board, were present. Mr W. R. Wright, chairman of the Egmont County Council presided. Mr Newton King stated that the meeting was purely of a formal nature, aa a clause in the Empowering Bill provided that a meeting must be held in. each county and borough within the harbor district intimating that a poll would be taken. He briefly recapitulated the facts that had led the -board to bring forward the scheme, as already reported during the meetings lipid some months ago. He pointed out that the scheme then submitted to them provided for a differential rate, viz., %d in No. 1 area, %d in No. 2 area and y 4 d in No. 3 area, in whicji Rahotu was situated. The fact that Waimate, district had been cut out meant, hpwever, that the maximum rate to bo struck would be Id, 2-3 d, and 1 -3d respectivelv in the different areas. That rate if levied in full would produce £25,050, and, as they only required £IBOOO to pay interest on the full loan, it would never be necessary at the most to strike more than two-thirds of the rate, bait it was advisable to have the fullest security to enable the money to be raised on the best terms. The 'Bill provided that the No. 3 area could not. be included in any future loan without the consent of the ratepayers in that area. 'So that they were fully safeguarded- Tt was not proposed to raise the £300,000 at once, as it could only be expended at the rate of £30.000 or £40.000 per annum. He said that the smaller classes of vessel now visited the p3rt and shipped meat, and the shipping companies had promised that as soon as an additional 600 feet had been added to the breakwater and shelter from wind provided, they would send their regular liners. The Harbor Board intended to add 800 feet to the breakwater. It was necessary to provide accommodation for the largest boats trading to New Zealand so as to ensure fortnightly visits of the regular liners, which were the boats that lifted the viiry produce. He pointed the anomaly that existed now when a Home liner loaded meat at the wharf and a coastal boat arrived the next morning to load cheese for trans-shipment to the same vessel at Wellington. However, the contract with the coastal company would expire in a few months' time. Their scheme had been prepared by the leading Marine Engineer in New Zealand, Mr Blair Mason, who was so struck with the prospects of the district that he had decided to settle at New Plymouth and had with him Mr Lee, an engineer of Napier. Mr King also referred to the prospects of the harbor as it affected the coastal railway, stating that this was now definitely certain, as th<> Engineer in Chief had been to New Plymouth and the location of its junction with the line at Moturoa would be fixed in a very few weeks. This should be good news to ooastal people. Mr J- Lawn stated that they were told years ago that the £ 300,000 then [ proposed to be borrowed would be sufficient to provide a port for deep sea liners.

Mr King said that a good portion of the money had teen borrowed to pay off an old loan. Ho had not promised that they would be able with the balance to provide a harbor to accommodate ocean liners to lift their butter and cheese. He lijid said that they would be able to get direct boats and so they had. He instanced the shipments of manure, etc., and referred to the benefit the harbor had been to the Farmers' Meat Works, being one of the cheapest ports in New Zealand for the loading of meat.

Mr M- Fleming, a director of the Meat Co.: "That is so." Mr Maxwell in his remarks emphasised the fact that it was proposed to strike a differential rate, and that in their area at the most they could only strike two-thirds of 1 -3d (onethird of a penny). The board did not consider that there would be nnv rate for a number of years, if any at all, but they could not give any guarantee. In connection with the. previous loan he held that the board had done even more than they had hoped to do. They had Rmplo depth of water—more than Timsiru, where the largest boats traded —but thev required shelter. With the proposed improvements they would have regular 'direst boats bringing their requirements and shipping their butter, cheese and meat, and in that case New Plvmoufh would be one of the main distributing ports of the Dominion-*-the fourth" or possibly third, with its fine country behind it. He urged ratepayers to realise the importance of the matter and record their votes on April 30 in favor of the scheme.

Mr King also urged all ratepayers irt the number three area to record their votes. If the ratepayers of the No. " area turned the scheme down l .; it would not be gone on with, even though' the ratepayers in the No- 1 and No. 2 area supported it to a man. At the request of Mr King, Mr W. •! Gray briefly addressed a number of Maori ratepayers, who listened attentively. '/'■ ■