The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1909. THE RIVER ENTRANCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2554, 16 July 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1909. THE RIVER ENTRANCE.

Passengers by the steamer from the south yesterday 'were subjected’ to a most uncomfortable and depressing experience before being able to set foot in Gisborne. It was bad enough that the, Tarawora should bo running a day late, but when on top of this passengers were compelled to spend tho best part of the day but in the Bay the lack of conveniences at tho port became the matter \of severe comment. The Tarawora arrived in the Bay as usual in the,'early morning, and\at six o’clock outward - passengers were taken out, by the- 'Tuatea. Those on the steiunoi naturally expected to lie able to leave for - the.; wharf shortly afterwards, but they did not reach town until noon. In the interim they had the tantalising experience of lying , j ust outside

tho breakwater. The trouble, was, of oourso, tho old one that has' now become familiar to Qisborneites—namely, tho silting up of tho channel. A fresh in the river, as tho result of a few days’ rain, has carried sufficient silt down to almost block up tho entrance to 'the port, and the only dredge wo have, tho John Townley, is' incapable of promptly removing the rubbish. Tho captain of the Tuatea, knowing the state of tliej river, considered it impossible to navigate tho channel, except with fairly high water, and consequently he had to wait for the tide. The incident should emphasise the wisdom of the Harbor Board in deciding Ep obtain an up-to-date dredge, which will be capable of dealing promptly and effectively with the large quantities of silt that come down ’With* every flood. In tho meantime tho only thing to be done, is to make the best (possible use of the present inadequate plant. We 'should like to think that this is being done at present, but, for some inexplicable reason, it seems impossible to have the John Townley worked to its utmost capacity, even in times of urgent necessity. Wo frequently hear of complaints being sent to the Board protesting against tho state' of the channel, and of resolutions concerning tho Working of the dredge being passed in consequence, yet, somehow, something always seems to intervene to prevent tho resolutions being given effect t.o. Since last Saturday, the waterway has been virtually blocked, and with such extensive interests involved, one would have thought the John Townley would have been kept working night and day in order to clear as much silt away as possible. Wo feol sure this is the intent of tho Board’s policy, and we would suggest that members find some means of insisting that their wishes he. carried out. Tho dredge has not been working to its full capacity, even since ' the fresh blocked up the river, and under tho circumstances a charge of neglect must lie against tho Board.- A full twelve months must elapse before the now dredge, can he set to work in tlw river, and in the meantime heroic efforts should be made on special occasions such as tho present to utilise, to tho utmost capacity the existing plant. One feature of yesterday’s fiasco ..must not bo overlooked. The. incident emphasised very forcibly the need for an Outer Harbor, at which, both passengers and cargo can be (promptly discharged from a steamer’s side direct to a wharf. Anything else is merely of temporary nature, and the ultimate policy of tho Board, which membeis should never lost sight of, should be to place Gisborne in lino with the chief centres in this respect. Until wo have a first-class harbor, Gisborne will never attain to the rank amongst Dominion towns which the resources of the surrounding district entitle it to occupy.