A VEXED PROBLEM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3231, 30 May 1911, Page 7

A VEXED PROBLEM.

INNER OR OUTER HARBOR ?

DR. COLLINS SUGGESTS A REFER-

ENDUM.

OVER WHELMING DEFEAT OF

THE PROPOSAL

• The question of outer and inner harbor was again before the Gisborne Harbor Board at its meeting yesterday, when Dr. Collins, in accordance with notice of motion, moved : “That this Board shall submit within a period of three months, to popular referendum, the question of an outer harbor for the following reasons :—(1) With a view to ascertaining the definite wishes of the majority of the ratepayers on the subject; (2) with a view to the alteration of the Board’s past constituted policy, and future expenditure.” Dr. Collins said that in moving a motion of this sort lie quite realised that he would be defeated prior to Ins starting. He knew that the policy of this Board had been entirely favorable to the advantages of the inner harbor. There were members on the Board whose return had to a great extent been due to the view they took on the question of an . inner and. outer'harbor, and such members could not be asked to view favorably the question of putting this issue to the people. He knew the futility of asking’ them to do so. He did not intend to enter into questions of engineering with regard to the outer harbor, and he was not going to enter into the question of having an outer harbor at the present time. He wanted an expression of opinion on the matter. Development of the Inner Harbor. If they were going to vote against it and throw out the proposition, then they were bound to take full advanage" of the facilities of the river and base the future policy of the Board on that and that alone. With regard to the development of the inner harbor, they had to consider in the first place the locking of the rivers. They knew the results of the last flood. It cleared their channel, and this was what locking the rivers would do. _ It was advocated by those who were in a position to give an opinion. The next question was the provision for a decent swing basin in the inner harbor and equality of length between groin and breakwater. They had had the Maui thrown up at them and the .advantages they were going to have from it. If the" Board had been united in its policy they would have had an outer harbor long ago, or else they would have had the dredge long ago. “Want of Unanimity.” Want of unanimity among members was responsible for this. The dredge was not invented in two days. It was invented long, long ago, and completely squashed the outer harbor policy. There 'was a very much stronger position in regard to the outer harbor. They all knew that the future legislation and policy of the Government was centralisation—centralisation of hospitals, charitable aid, and commerce.. If they allowed this district to be connected with the railway system of the Government prior to establishing an outer harbor they would transfer their middle' market of this district direct to London. What was the reason of the wealth of this place? It was. the power of accumulating wealth without adequate spending facilities—because titey had no channels or outlets, and JHie spending facilities were never, in proportion to their saving capabilities. 'lmmediately they allowed the Government to establish a line they would transfer what they ought to put into their own pockets to another district. Fight for Trade. Why was Auckland fighting the South"? Because they wanted the trade. They had allowed Tokomaru to be its own middle port to London and Tologa Bay would follow' suit. If these places connected with the railway they would not require any railway system, because they had got their own" market.. By allowing this outer harbor to hang fire they were going to transfer their own middle market and make Gisborne a fifth-rate port. He Avanted an expression . of opinion and to knoAV what the policy of the Board was, and why they heldto it and advocated the full advantages of the inner habor. He congratulated the Board on having the Maui, but the Board ought to have had it long ago. The matter of a proper harbor Avas a very serious one, and he did not think that there was any harm in it being placed before the people. He thought that it Avas necessary the Board should have a policy, and the chairman should go into the "matter to get unity of administration for • the benefit of the ratepayers. A Supporter of the Motion. Mr. Brown, in seconding the motion, said that he was an outer harbor a dr vocate, and if that was defeated he w'ould be in the hands of the people. He w'ould favor the taking of a referendum. . Mr. Parker said that he was m favor of Dr. Collins’ motion. Mr. Clark said that the question of locking the rivers was no new matter, and the Board had not been idle. All the engineers with one exception had been against this proposal. He was in favor of the inner harbor being utilised to the best - advantage. They should clear out the balance of the rock, and if the scour went. on at the end of a year or a year and a half, they could then see what the dredge had done. If that was not satisfactory the Board should obtain the best marine engineer in Europe to report on the matter. The reports on the’ schemes so far had been so very far apart to his mind that he had no faith in any of them. No Schema to Place Before the Public. At present they had no scheme to place before the people. If they took Mr. Reynolds’ scheme and Mr. Marchant’s scheme they had nothing. Tie could not support Dr. Collins’ motion. Mr. Palmer said that this subject was before the electors at the. recent election, and they expressed their opinion in the members they returned. If they decided on the outer harbor they would have to go to the electors for a loan, and they could throw' it out if they thought necessary. They should devote their energies to an inner harbor. If they vent in for an outer harbor it ivould still be necessary to spend a good deal on the inner harbor. The Chairman said that it seemed a very simple matter to take a referendum, ’ but there were • certain things they had to connect with it. They had got plans, but they all differed so much that there Avas not a definite plan to be submitted to the ratepay-

ers. Mr. Marchant when asked whether steamers could come in to that harbor in rough weather said he did not think they could.

Harbor Useless in Rough Weather. It was most dangerous to put a harbor in the north-east.. The captains of vessels-'said that they would not go into that harbor ,in rough weather. If they wanted to go to the people they w'ould have to- tell them what the cost was going to be, as there w'ould have to be a special rate to pay the interest on the loan. He instanced how the freight had decreased recently. The Napier harbor was a failure, as they had only . one wharf. The chairman of the Napier Harbor Board had said they could not allow' the Home boats to" come up because they could not give them a wharf. Napier took a referendum the other day, and it cost over £6OO, . and it was money throw'll aw'av, and if the Gisborne Harbor Board w'as going to fail why should they take- the proposal to the people. It was a most absurd idea to lock the. rivers. The rivers w'ould be blocked and the flats flooded. Dr. Collins in Reply,

Dr. Collins said that the chairman had stated that they wanted to put the actual amount they wanted to spend, and a plan, before the ratepayers. They had spent hundreds of pounds in trying to do this. There were two questions. One was as to the. plan they intended to adopt and the other w'-as the locality where they intended! to build, the harbor. The Board advocated the policy of getting plan after plan, and they had never even taken the trouble to approve of one. They ivould never get finalit-v on this side of the grave if they went on that way. It was the chairman’s duty to frame a plan of campaign and ask the people if they required an outer harbor. It was then lliis duty to spend money in getting the best engineering advice. The decrease in rates was di e to vessels being able to come up the river. If they Avere not able to do so up w'ould go the rates to eternity. Expert Opinion.

He w'as pleased to hear Mr Clark s opinion was in favor of getting the best expert advice before the proposal went to the people. Mr Clarki had at the back of his mind the advisability of obtaining the best engineering advice, and he (the speaker) felt satisfied, that once the ratepayers of the district gave authority to construct an outer harbor Mr, Clark ivould advise them’ to get that advice. Regarding the locking up cf the rivers, lie pointed out that when the channel silted up they would be file to flood it artificially. Mr Reynolds apparently had this object in view. The outer harbor meant they, were going to have their own intermediate harbor between here and l London, and if they did not consider the question of the outer harbor they would find that this intermediate (harbor -would be transferred to another port.. They had an immense back country in a practically virgin condition, and consequently as the shipping would increase the harbor accommodation had to increase. Once the Government had established a centralisation scheme, Gisborne ivould be nothing but a fifth rate port. The motion was then put and lost, Dr. Collins and Messrs Brown and Parker being the only supporters.