HARBOR BOARD ELECTIONS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2418, 5 February 1909, Page 5

HARBOR BOARD ELECTIONS

MEETING AT TIMNITY SCHOOL-

ROOSI

A aneeting of ratepayers who are entitled to vote for candidates for the Harbor Board was held in Holy Trinity Schoolrooom last evening. The Mayor (Mi\ W. D. Lysnar) and Mr. W. L. Rees took the platform, while the body of the hall was occupied by the other candidates, a few members of the Progressive League, and a small number of ratepayers. Mr. Lysnar occupied the chair, and addressed the small audiende along the. lines of his previous'speeches on the question at Patutahi and To Ear aka. Air. W. L. Rees said he was sorry the public of Gisborne had not more spirit than tv allow such an important meeting to be so poorly attended, and he hoped that the press would be the medium to allow the need for a progressive policy on the Harbor Board to be placed before the people. There were candidates for the Board who held that the time was not opportune for an outer harbor proposal to he placed before the people. The progressive candidates IkM that that time had now arrived. Air. Townley held that the river could be made a deep harbor for sea-going ships, but engineers held that it was impossible to make the river of greater depth than it was 19 years ago, when Mr. Napier Bell reported that the depth of water was 16ft at the breakwater. Dealing with the increased trade of the port of Gisborne, Air. Rees said that in 1884 the value of the imports was £31,000, and the exports £80,501, and in 1907 the imports were valued at £123,865, and the exports £993,000 —an-ueli more than a triple increase of imports and over a tenfold increase of exports. In every respect there had been an astounding increase, and yet they were told they must be cautious about expending £350.000 on an outer harbor, while £200,000 had been borrowed when the district was not onesixth as wealthy as now. Many persons had stated that an outer harbor would increase the rate, but the progressive candidates believed that an outer harbor could be constructed without levying a rate, and the interest, £12,000 a year, paid on the old loan and a _ considerable surplus left by naturally increased revenue. Alter 1915 the Board would cease to pay £12,000 as interest and, with than sum and the increased receipts, would have considerable revenue for new works. The revenue from the Tauwhareparae endowment would also be increased from £SOOO a year to £IO,OOO. The general rmblic was now paying tens of thousands of pounds on the cost of imported goods that would not have- to be paid if an outerharbor was built, The lighterage for one year totalled £12,500, and transhipment charges added another £1 per ton on all goods imported from England. An outer harbor was for the safety and comfort of the .people, and would cause settlement to go on and manufactures to spring up in the district. Air. Townley had said the river could be made 20ft deep, and io take ocean-going ships, but he (Air Rees) said that was impossible.. The first fresh would bring down (large quantities of silt, and the river would need constant dredging right out to sea. Air. Townley had. excused his going back on his .promise on _ the ground that Air. Leslie Reynolds’ report had changed his opinion, but he (Air. Rees) believed that. the time was opportune for an outer harbor, while Air. Townley was prepared to go on spending the people’s money on the river. Air. F. Harris also delivered a short address in support of placing the proposal to construct an outer harbor before the people, and dealt with the policy that was being advocated by the candidates with whom he is associated in the present campaign. He had. he said, always keenly advocated the construction of an outer harbor, and even if lie was defeated on Alonday he would still continue to tight. On the motion of Air. Birrell, seconded by Air. AY. F. Crawford, a vote of thanks was tendered to the retiring members of the Board who had been responsible for a progressive policy in harbor affairs. A number of questions were answered by Air. Rees, and a vote, of thanks to the Chairman brought the meeting to a close.