The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1879.

Temuka Leader, Issue 203, 25 November 1879, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1879.

The Chairman of the Milford Harbour Board has just informed us of the receipt by him of Sir John Goode’s report and plans prepared for the work. What object Sir John Goode could have had in preparing plans for a work which he must have in his mind at the very moment condemned, we are at a loss to know. We repeat that there is nothing in the report which Sir John Goode was not aware of when he visited the lagoon; why he required eighteen months to forward this opinion is best known to himself. Can it be that this eminent engineer has the same weakness of most great men —that of making his services and advice of much more consequence than is necessary, with the view of establishing his self-importance ? From a letter in another column it will be seen that Mr T. M. Hardy-Johnston, 0.E., does not fall in Avith Sir J. Coode’s views as to scour, etc. We regret that Mr Johnstone does not point out the absurdity of Sir J. Coode’s estimates for the works. It is to be hoped when Mr Johnston has seen the plans forwarded Sir J. Goode he will be able to go more fully into the matter. One thing we again state is that if the travelling shingle would block up the mouth of the Milford Harbour, it must do so ranch more at Timaru. Indeed, with such a sea as took place on last Friday at Timaru, with a N.E. wind, the shingle (even were the curve completed) would he driven right into the harbour and no scouring power to drive it back. IE the travelling shingle is an exploded theory, then there is no "difficulty in making Milford Harbour a safe port. In the meantime, however, with Sir John Coode’s report against it, it would_ be a mistake to take "any further steps in the matter until it is fixed by the Timaru works, whether large accumulation believed in by Sir John Goode is a fact or not.