The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1882.

Temuka Leader, Issue 978, 18 July 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1882.

THE STEAM TUG TITAN. The Timaru Haibor Bosrd will never succeed in pleasing the Timaru Herald At its last meeting the Board decided to buy a paddle steamer of 50 nominal horsr-power called the Titan, and the Timaru Herald brings them to task very severely for having done so. It is very hard to please our contemporary in local matters in which its own representatives have no say. When the question of getting a tug was first mooted years ago the Herald scouted the idea of such extravagance. It is very probable that its opposition to the proposal contributed a good deal towards the tug having never isinco been got, and it is

now admitted on all sides that Timaru would be a different place to day if the suggestion had been carried out when first mooted. It is very recently that the Herald was converted to a beliet in a tug, and its infidelity on that point had a good deal of influence on the minds of the upper crust portion of the Board, whoso opposition led to the delay. It is very dogmatic, however, in its new belief. The law must be obeyed to the letter. The Boaid passed a resolution to import anew tug boat from Home, and the Herald wants the Board to stick to that. It does not take into consideration the fact that this resolution was passed before the Beard knew the Titan would suit. It does not consider that before a new tug could be built at Home, | and brought out here, a considerable j length of time must elapse, and that to wait until that time would only be retarding the progress of Timaru. We do not suppose that the greatest admirers of the Titan would say that she is all that could be desired, but at the same time there can be no doubt that she can be made use of and be of great benefit to the port. The people of Timaru feel the effects of the late wrecks; there is not half the life or the activity in the town now that there was in it previously to the late fearful disasters. Trade and commerce there seems to have received a shock from which it has not yet recovered. This is because vessels will not come to Timaru cwing to the fearful bad name it has got ; and is this to last for the next couple of years until a new tug could be built at Home and brought out here? By all means confidence in the Harbor should be restored, so that all vessels will come to load and unload there, and this could only be clone by getting a tug boat. The Titan may not be able to save a vessel such as the City of Perth from coming ashore in such a sea as was experienced on the 14th of May last, but it could save smalJer vessels, and do more than that. It is a well-established fact that any vcesel properly found is quite safe at the outer anchorage, or, if there was any danger, very little assistance would enable her to go out to sea. Now, the Titan will enable vessels to be anchored in safety outside of where the waves break, because she can be used to tow in and out their cargos, and and in that way she will enable work to be doue more expeditiously. If the Harbor Board were ready to order a tug boat tomorrow we think that they would be justified in getting the Titan today, Cannot they sell her again if they like to got a better one? The gain to the town will be ten times more than the depreciation in her value. We think Messrs Moody and Gray did a very good day's work when they bought the Titan, and they need not trouble themselves much about what the Herald sa\s. They are practical men of business, and know a good deal better what is suitable for the port than the Herald does. Verily the Timaru Herald and Julius Mendelson, Esq., J.P., seem to have come into the world for tho purpose of opposing everything that is calculated to advance their respective localities.

A HARBOR FOR TIMARU. Unkohtunatk Tiraaru has a kind friend in a very out-of-the-way place. The Akaroa Mail has made a discovery that its own harbor of Akaroa is the finest in the world, and offers the use of it to Tiraaru to enable her to tide over her difficulties while her breakwater is being constructed. This may appear incredible, but still it is a fact. After giving the depth of water in the harbor, which it says is from 23 to 50 feet, the Mail says :—We are of opinion, as before stated, that in a few years the Timaru Breakwater will be so advanced as to shelter large vessels, and when that time comes, there is no doubt that all the grain grown in South Canterbury will be shipped there. A year or two, ! however, must elapse before this happens, and in the interim our harbor may be utilised to advantage. Wo see by our Timaru contemporary that a Colliery Steamship Company has been formed thorj, and that all the shares have been taken up, and a steamer is to be built capable of carrying 500 tons of coal, to trade between Timaru and the West Coast. Now, such a vessel would be the very one for the purpose before referred to, of carrying grain from Timaru to this port, and trans-shipping it here aboard large Home sailing vessels. It would delay such a vessel little to bring a load of grain here on her way to the West Coast collieries, and it must prove a profitable trade to her owners. This is very kind. It is just like the sympathetic and kindly disposition of our contemporary, but it is very doubtful whether it would work well, JNo

doubt it would do very well for Ak*roa, but it would scarcely suit Timaru" "We cannot look upon Ximaru as gone to the dogs to such an extent as to accept such a kindly-meant hint. We rather think that by next grain season Timaru will be in a position to anchor safely English vessels and load them in her own harbor.

THE NATIONx\L INSURANCE. It will be remembered that a few issues «gs we referred to the National Insurance proposals of the Government. We find that the following is the text of the resolution proposed by Major Atkinson :—'• That in the opinion of this House, provision should be made against sickoess and pauperism, by compulsory national insurance to secure the following benefits:— (1.) Sick-pay for every single person, male and female, between the ages of 18 and 65 years, of not less than 15s per week during sickness. (2.) Sick-pay for every married man of not less than 22s 6d per week, and for every married woman 7s 6d per week, during sickness. (3.) A superannuation allowance of 10s per week for every person, male or female, from 65 years of age to death. (4.) An allowance of 15s per .veek for every widow with one child, increasing according to scale with the size of the family to 30s per week, until the children are 15 years of age." In order to get this every person, male and female, must contribute £4l to the State. Persons between the ages of 16 and 18 years must pay it at the rate of 2s 3d per'week and persons between the ages of 18 and 23 must pay it at the rate of 3s 3d per week ; persons over 23 must pay at the rate of £6 per amium until it is paid—and the above are the benefits to be derived from it. The proposal slook well in theory, but it is doubtful whether they can be successfully carried out.