The Harbor Crisis.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 214, 27 October 1888, Page 3

The Harbor Crisis.

A MEETING was held at Ormond on Thursday night. Mr Kempthorne being in the chair He told them that if thev decided on the expenditure of the £40.000 they wou d perhaps have to bear a small additional rate. Though originally he was against the scheme, as he believed the works were in advance of their time, he now thought that they should be carried out to a reproductive point. (Applause.) Hethen called on Mr Graham to address the meeting. Mr Grahtm gave a full explanation of the position. He considered it his duty in the circumstances to do his best to g t the works carried on to a reproductive stage. He said the first amending Act was the outc me of certain writs that had been lodged against the members. Things at first went along smoothly, the plans were settled and everything ready to go on, when at a certain point such a spirit of opposition was got up and there was so much to contend against that he for one had got quite sick of anything concerning harbor matters, but things had now come to such a pass that hefeb bound with others to actively take the matter up. It was to be regretted that Mr Sievwright should be laid up at the present moment, as he had been down to Wellington and thoroughly understood the whol question. First should carry the poll and retain the £40,000. and other details such a how

much should he spent and whether the re mainder of the works sh >uld he let by contract or not could well be left to the B ard i He said the only snbst nti 1 thing they had to grumble at in the amending Act was he striking out of a por ion « f he rating district but the only extra burden on the special district would be 2| per cent in the County and 5 per cent in the Borou .h, and if the

works were worth going on with before it was much more necessary they should he gone on with now. However, he believed that when the poll was carried and the works gone on with, all ’his trou-b’e would have done much good. He thought Mr Thomson was a thoroughly capable man, and he had every reliance in him. The on y question he thought there was against the won s was whether they could bear the extra burden of £2OOO interest a year, but when the question was thoroughly gone into and the advantages considered, he had not the slightest doubt that it would pay them to go on. With the obstacles at present there was no i ducement to rear stock. His advice to everyone, even though some might be against >he site, was »o vote for he retaining of the money in the district. With regard to the captains of the uteamers denouncing the works they had done the same in regard to all the other works in the colony, but iu any case he preferred to rely on the evidence of suoh Engineers as Messrs Thomson and Higgins n than on these men who had not been in the place for years. Captain Fairchild had spoken strongly against the works, but on his (Mr Graham) going into the matter with him he (Captain Fairchild) and several others had changed their opinions and talked in a diff'-rept strain. If they got the twenty feet of water for the ex*ra £40.000 it would be a good bargain When it got out that length and it was proved a s -ocess, and the district advanced in the meantime, as he hoped it would, they could go to Parliam nt and show good reason for ge ting the whole of their money baok. When Parliament interfered with the work they were under the impression that there were a great many in the district who were against the works.

Mr A. B. Newman said it must be appa nut to each one of them that the works sh >ul I be gone on with. It had been proved aftei the most searching enquiry, that it was not only creditable, but desirable, for to goo ■ with the works. The only reason for limiting the expenditure to £40.000 was because they were unable to bear all the interest. The works, so far, had gone out according to the Engineer’s forecaste. Not a single thing could be found against it There had been much opposition and many detracting letters from those interested in the lighterage, whose occupation would be gone if the work were carried out. They should act with a spirit of sturdy reliance, and eo on. Bv looking at the commercial horizon, thev c u’d see that there was a good prospect before them, and they should be abreast of the times if not in tbe van. Even being tolerant to the opinions of those who were aw -s’ the site, what could they get for the £40,000 if they decided on spending it on a»\v other site? Some said if they took a different site they could go and get the rest of the money, but they must remember that they could not bear the interest on the whole amount. (Hear, hear ) He disliked the principle of Polega and Waiapu Ridings being excised, but they had also to consider that if they were left in, they would vote against the works, and thus further handicap them in a difficult poll. Many things could be said in favor of th* works going on, but they had been so often and so well said bv others that it was hardly necessary to make repetition. Some had ohjantion to the Engineer, but he had proved himself-a of action and not of words. He had been going out and in the river in the Snark, and had heard many remarks, but not one could say anything against the work as it was going on. He felt so much confidence-in the work that he would rather pav even more rates than he would be called noon to do ratper than it stopped, *whi.h would be the heigh’ of folly. He believed their money was being well spept, and the work efficiently done, notwithstanding the fractious opposition the Board had to contend with both inside and out. He would move later on, “That in the event of a poll being taken, ’his mce’ing is in favor of retaining the £40,000 and proceeding with the works ” It would take some time to expend that money, a id if they found in the meantime that they could not bear the interest on the full amount, they would have the matter quite as much in their own hands, whereas if they let the money go there would be no after voice in the matter. The speaker was loudly applauded when he had concluded bis remarks.

Mr Burke asked whether or not there had been any undue influence to obtain the li«t of those in favor of the work, or was it a bogus one? Mr Graham said it was a thoroughly genuine Qne. It was started on Tuesday m rning, and the signatures obtained before that night. Mr Burke asked whether ’he cement by the Deva would come out of this £40.000; also, what it would cost to make a road from the works to the town. A voice: The road is made already. Mr Gannon said that was always th*ir experience to have such remarks (Mr Burke’s) hurled at them. The list publiahed was not oi|lv genuine, but him-elf had gone through and compared the nam with the rat payers’ list. He said that the large and small owners should work together for the good of the di«trict. There could be no stronger evidence than this list that those who had watched the work and weighed the pros and cons were not to be led astray bv misleading statements, but would take the advice of such scientific men as Higginson. Suppose the Board had gone on prematurely and lost the poll they would have had the mo’ ey taken out of their hands, and the blocks left there as a dismal record of the district’s incapacity to govern its own affairs. In reply to Mr Burke Mr Gannon said there was nothing els but the £40,00’1 for the cemen f to be paid out of. Mr Townley, being present, was called on. He said he had been in the Harbor Board since its coHimencem nt, and he wanted to listen now rather than talk—he wished to hear the expressions of opinion fr m the settlers With regard to list of signature he thought the names themselves were sufficient gu Tantee that the lis was thoroughly genuine. They had to pay their own r tes, and there was no possible inducement for them to lend their names to a -boguw memorial. . In reference to the cement it had had been orde ed before the amending Act was pasted, and if he had anything to do with it it would be deducted from, the amount handed over to the government Many people were at first inclined to vote against the work owing to the new Act, but on considering the. serious consequences they had changed their minds. He considered the County wag more interested in the prosecution of the work than the Borough, tmd yet the lattei 1 was compelled tp pay double for both rates. He spoke generally in favor of the works going on, and he thought if they got the work Out to a sufficient depth they could easily get over the details. He had been to lOamaru, Napier and other places and he believed the works here would give quite ss good fabilities. He said the fflembefri of

Board had thought it was not right to take upon themselves the risk of losing their £40,000 and therefore they had adopted that method of testing feelings of the rate>ayers by which thev would be guided. In reply to Mr Burke, Mr Townley said no member that he knew of had taken round *he memorial referred to, and no member’s name appeared upon it. Mr Crawford dwelt at length < n the folly that it would be to allow the wo ks to be dis continued In regard to the differences of opinion about the site, he said it was an engineeri'-g question, and thev should have sonfidenct in 'he professional mar; whom they iad put at th*- heart of flairs H.s reputai o vas at stake, and h»* had n deep interest in the result. It as s m said, h- -and was going round fr »m w-st. to east ar lit occurred to him whether, if that were so. there would

ot be a la*ge reclamation alTuamom island He believed that at the end of the two and a half years there would in the meantime be a wave of prosperity that would enable them to obtain their money and go on with the works to the full length. They had too big notions in many things and they ought to be satisfied in making provision for the smaller class of vessels. He believed that Sir George Whitmore and Mr Ormond were convinced that the works would be stopped, but the universal feeling in its favor would surprise them. With regard to the getting of signatures he was one who had gone round, and they hai only got two refu a’s—it surprised him how easv it was to get the signatures. Mr C. Smith pointed out that if the works were stopped it would mean the depreciation of property by 12 to 15 per cent., and would have the effect of damning rhe place in the eyes of the whole of New Zealand. To con demn the works now would be like building a house without a roof on, and then saying it was no good. If they did not vote in support at the poll every one of them would regret it. The hu-k of the money ’hat had been spent was on plant, and what would be spent of the £4O 000 woul ♦ be mainly on wages and the ake, waich would indirectly benefit the district. He reft-i red to the frozen meat trade and other pninis, and advised them not to neglect to record iheir votes. being no further speakers, Mr Harper seconded the motion. He said there were only two ways of looking at the thing—the {common-sense one was that if they left, the works as they were they would be utterly useless and a heavy burden to the ratepayers, but if extended they would become useful.

The motion was then put. As the hour was late many had. previously gone home, Only thirteen h> d their hands up, but the applause was general. For the noe« Mr Burke was the on’v <» e to hold Up his band, and he was greeted wj;.h a storm of dissent. Mr Burke arose and eaid they were afraid to hold up their hands. Mr Newman : “ Shame! There is no man here who has not the ooura-ze of his opinions.” There were also derisive laughter and hisses, with the interpolation “ We’re not ail Burkes 1” Many who had not previously signed the memorial did so after the meet ing. A meeting was held at Pa’uUhi last niizh . There was a good attendance and thorough unanimity in favor of the works going on. Mr L. Stevens proposed, and Mr J, Lewis seconded, a motion to the same effect as that parsed at Ormond, which was carried unanimously. The meeting was addressed by Messrs Graham and Townley. Mr Murphy was present, but did not speak.