THE HARBOR CRISIS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 189, 30 August 1888, Page 3

THE HARBOR CRISIS.

a warning. WITH MANY UNCERTAINTIES ONE THING 18 CERTAIN. WHITMORE ORMOND “ PRINCIPLES.” At th-? Harbor Board meeting on Tuesday the following petition was read :— We, the undersigned ratepayers, consider that the action of the Government in com pelling you to stop the harbor works is an illegal and unwarrantable interference on the r part in our local affairs, and we give you notice that from the date of the stoppage of the works that we will refuse to pay any more rates and that a fund is being raised to enable us to defend any action that may be brought agai st us for the recovery of rates. G. L Sunderland Graham, Pitt and Bennett J. C ark J H. Stubbs G. Winter E. Cameron W K Chambers R J Reynolds P. W. Donner The Chairman : I suppose the only answe we can give is “ sufficient unto the day is the evil th- r*M»f ” Mr Matthewson said the petition could hardly be considered represent *tive—of course the petitioners had a right to exp e s their opinions. The Chairman did not see that thev need

take any further notice of the petition than to accept it as an expression of opinion. Jj.e correspondence passing between the / and Mr Graham with regard to the Bill was read. Mr Gannon considered that the Board should express a decided opinion on the mat* ter. He believed the altered radius would mean the exclusion of nearly one-half the County—it meant that it would benefit the Ormond, Whitmore, and Williams party, but the injury would not rest there, because a large area of Government and native land would be excluded. The Chairman: This only relates to the £4O 000. Mr Gunnon: It does not matter what it relates to. The money was raised on the security of the whole district, and I do not see bow any part of that security can be dimi* Dished now. Mr Matthewcon said when the harbor was first talked of one of the great inducements in its favor was that as things went on the un. occupied lands of Waiapu would become settled and help to there the burden. Mr Chambers did not see hnw Parliament could interefere between the Board and the money-lenders, and it would also be a breach of faith with those who voted for the loan, as they bad done so on the assurance that the harbor district included the whole of the County. As things were at present the Board was being treated as a mere nonentity, as if it had not been constituted by Act of Parliament It seemed to him that representative institutions were nearly on their last legs when men like Whitmore and Ormond could upset a district like Poverty Bay, to suit themselves. The Chairman did not think Parliament would agiee to any alteration in the actual liability under the Act of 1884, but he felt a* strongly as any of them on the inequity of cutting off nearly half the rating area. He moved that an opinion be expressed that the Board could not quietly acquiesce in any alteration of the area. At the same time, as the Amount received from Tologa Bay and Waiapu in rates was so small, about £360 a year, he thought the County could survive even if they gave way to that extent ; but that was not asked the liability for a

half-penny was admitted, and that was all that waa wanted from th- m. The paramount object was to get the breakwater carried out to a point at which it would be useful. It would be better to give way on minor points than lose the main object. Mr Gannon : “Hold a candle to the devil.” Mr Gannon thought it was monstrous that to fui : '.' , r their nwn private ends it should be for Whitmore and Ormond to r take up such a course. Motions with slight variations were proponed by both Mr Chambers and Mr Gannon. Mr Townley believed they were going wide of the mark. The imention of the gentlemen referred to was to have the money tied up, and before it was expended they wanted to make the rest of the district bear the burden. At present there was no interference with the security to the bondholders. The Board stood at present between the House of Representative* and the ratepayers. There was an attempt to place an additional burden on a certain part of the district and to exclude a a large portion of it, and as far as the Board was concerned they should resist it as far as possible It was a very unfair position for gentlemen like Ormond and Whitmore to take up. Mr Chambers: They want to interfere with the rate. Mr Gannon : They want to interfere with the terms on which the loan was got. Mr Townley said any alteration meant interference, and it was very safe it would be to the interest of those who were at the bottom of the interference. If a Borough Councillor voted for £5 in his own interest he would be liable to a penalty, and yet these gentlemen go to Parliament, and do not care who they impose additional burdens on so long as they save themselves. He feared any step they ufek now would be too late, but they should firm and see that no part of the disuas severed, and especially that referred was all in the hands of large holders. Mr Chambers : About a third of the sheep in the district graze there. Mr Townley, continuing, said the men referred to were much better able to pay the rate than were those who had to make their

Jiving by keeping a few enws on a very limited area, and producing milk, butter, and cheese. thought their action was dishonorable and when looked into—it showed clearly there were men in Parliament who were not beyond going the length of repudiation if it served their own purpose. It was an attempt to lock up a district in a very unfair manner. With the native lands locked up and now the harbor works locked up he did not know what they were coming to. Mr Matthewson said the whole district was liable to the rate, no matter where the site was. It was tantamount to saying there should be no harbor at all if the whole of the district was not embraced. The Chairman thought they were going on a fallacy in assuming that the Legislature was attemping to do anything that would mean a breach of faith with the bondholders—they wanted to make an arrangement among the ratepayers of the district. After some further discussion Mr Townley moved—“ That the Board objects to any vote being taken, but would urge the Government to allow ns £20,000 for the works to be carried on 111 next session.” Mr Gannon did not see why they should curry favor with Parliament to be allowed to deal with their own money. All they wanted was fair and reasonable power to deal with their own. The Chairman said there were two courses, to accept what Parliament gave them, or withdraw the Bill, and “shut up shop.” It would be objectionable to do anything that would oblige them to do the latter. He believed, no matter how strongly the Board might object, that Parliament, from which they derived their right, could take that right away. Really there was not very much in the limitation at present, and it was possible that when the lands were opened legislation might be obtained co again include these districts. Mr Gannon: Do you hope to convert Whitmore and Ormond? W The Chairman said he had the greatest eontempt for those gentlemen who were taking the ac>ion they were now doing out of pure and unadulterated selfishness. But granted bat, would it not be better for them to submit to a certain injustice than to have the works shut up altogether. Mr Chambers said if any alteration were mane in the Bill it would be better to withdraw it, because if the alteration were allowed the ratepayers would shut up the work, and be would far sooner the Goven m«nt took the responsibility of doing so on themselves. Mr Gannon said there mu«t be no concession—no policy of giving a sop to Cerebus in a Question of this sort. Mr Townley said their strongest point was to object to any poll at all.

A general discussion in Committee ensued, with the result that the following motion was proposed by Mr Ganuon, and seconded by Captain Tucker: — “ Keeping in view the terms upon which the ratepayers of the Harbor Board District voted for the loan, and the conditions upon which the British bondholders lent their money, it would be manifestly unfair, and a breach of faith, to exclude the Waiapu and Tologa Ridings, and that the Government having taking charge of the Bill will be requested to leave the rating area as at present.” K*i Matthewson would support the motion, not that he agreed to past actions of the Board, but the Board must assert its dignity. Carried unanimously.