The Daily News. THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1920. AN URGENT NEED.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1920. AN URGENT NEED.

That the importers of New Plymouth, the retailers and the public should be deprived for two months of goods landed at Wellington, and on which storage has to be paid because no coastal vessels have been dispatched to Moturoa since March 16, is nothing less than a scandal. This hold-up has naturally drawn attention to the callous way in which northern Taranaki is being treated by the shipping companies, and had the railway strike been continued the result of the stoppage of the shipping service would have been disastrous. Obviously this state of affairs should not be allowed to continue. There is only one effect tive remedy, and if the people pull j together they can place north and mid-Taranaki on a secure footing t by providing two or three vessels , that would overcome the difficulty and prove a good investment. This , step should have been taken some j years ago, but though the cost to- , day will be higher than before the war, the expenditure should be s quite a secondary consideration, i The prosperity of Auckland was . largely made by the medium of. [ locally-owned vessels; Patea, Wa- { jnganui, and other ports have ] greatly benefited by the same j means, and New Plymouth can no longer do without similar facilities. Moreover, looking ahead to the time when the harbor works will be completed and overseas ships will regularly visit the port, it will be essential to have the j means of distributing imports and collecting exports. There is a large field of operations for coastal work, with New Plymouth as the central point, practically the whole of the west coast from Wanganui to Hokianga coming within tho scope of trade, including Onehunga. If required, these vessels could be sent to Wellington and the southern ports for cargo, and could also be utilised for coal supplies. In fact the possibilities of trade are exceptionally extensive, and the venture holds out very satisfactory prospects. There should be no difficulty in forming a company for providing locally-owned and controlled ships, and until this is done, New Plymouth and the adjacent towns run a risk that | should be eliminated at all costs, i The advocacy; of this project ia if*

not a matter of local sentiment or an attempt to swell the importance of Taranaki's seaport, but is a matter of urgency to safeguard the welfare of the large population dependent on outside sources for many of its requirements. There is no question as to the need; there should be no two opinions as to the remedy. Every resident in Taranaki is directly interested in this protective proposal, though the importers may naturally be expected to be the moving spirits. The matter is one that should engender unity of purpose, for thereby alone can the end in view be achieved. The district has suffered too long from the caprices of the shipping companies, and should now become independent of services that have been given or withdrawn at will. Now is the time to join hands and act in self defence. What has proved a success in other places can be made a success here, and in again placing this project before the public, we do so with the utmost confidence that it will prove a potent factor in advancing the welfare and progress of the district, as well as proving to be a boon the extent of which will only be realised when locally owned vessels supply the requirements of the people. It is to ba hoped the importers will set the ball rolling, and that they will be heartily supported by the public. "We have waited long for some such scheme to be inaugurated. Now is the time for action.