THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1892. THE HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2332, 19 March 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1892. THE HARBOR BOARD.

We regret we cannot give a full report of the last meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board. Pressure on our space prevents it. Mr Talbot jumped on Mr Platman for saying at Geraldine that the Board valued the Titan at £2OOO and sold it at £l9B. Now, as regards the Titan, the least members of the Harbor Board say about her the better. Her purchase and ftll about her is a scandalous episode in the Board's transactions. Then Mr Talbot said that people ought to be ashamed of themselves. If Mr Talbot heard some of the things that are said about himself he would not like it very much. Then Mr Talbot accused the ratepayers of ignorance ; they thought the Board meant to remove the shingle which had already accumulated. We venture to think that not a single ratepayer ever thought of such a tiling. Mr Talbot, no doubt, thinks that he is the only man in the district who knows anything, but we venture to say that it is very easy to find men equal to Mr Talbot at any rate, and he will find out that instead of correcting public opinion public opinion will correct him. The ratepayers know as well as Mr Talbot what is going on. They; know that to j remove the shingle until it has sheltered the breakwater is to do a serious damage; they know that it is a scandalous waste of money to purchase machinery for that purpose; they know that, according to Mr Talbot's own showing, and according to the Engineers', there is no necessity for doing anything for four or five years ; and they think that by that time the revenue of the Board will be sufficient to carry on all necessary works without increasing taxation, as was proposed at the last annual meeting. The ratepayers also think that the services of an engineer are no longer required, and that there is a scandalous waste of money in all the departments. That is what ratepayers are talking about, and Mr Talbot will find that out when he comes forward for election next year. Mr Talbot also complained of the .majority of the Board being accused of tyranny. Now Mr Talbot and the Engineers agree that there is no danger for four or five yeats, The ratepayers ask to delay purchasing expensive machinery until after next election, but Mr Talbot aud the majority of the Board refuse to do so. Does not this betray the instincts of tyranny ? Is it not a Cease of "Not we the people, but I the King ?" We have recently taken some interest in this matter, Wo have talked

to a groat many on the subject, and we ' have no hesitation in saying that ninetynine out of every hundred ratepayers are opposed to the proposals of the Board. Now does not the elected body which treats ratepayers so contemptuously exhibit gross tyranny ? They certainly do, and they are unfit to be elected to any position. Let us see now what the effect of their action will be. They will proceed at once to purchase expensive machinery, but eleven months hence they will be turned out of office, and a new set of men, who will reverse their policy, will be elected, and the new machinery will then lie idle. If there had been no other reason but this to make them hesitate we think they ought to postpone their actions. But they will not do so. They are too vain, too conceited, to give in, and they prefer to put the district to expense than yield to the just demands of the people.