THE ALTERNATIVE

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 457, 22 May 1890, Page 2

THE ALTERNATIVE

A CLIMAX in the affairs connected with the harbor appears to be steadily drawing nigh. An evasive reply having been received from Government re the proposed Harbor Bill, the Board on Tuesday went into committee to consider the matter. There was really no consideration required. for the Board is hemmed in on every side, and is not free to choose its own path. The decision arrived at was as follows “The Board regrets to say that it sees no way in which Parliament can give relief unless either by passing the Bill as sent or voting the necessary funds, which it might well do in all the circumstances. The alternative, so far as the Board sees, is default in November, 1890.” That puts the whole matter very concisely. A very fair and respectful communication has been made to Government, and by the adoption of the plan proposed everyone would be placed in a better position, but it seems probable that a very objectionable alternative will be forced upon the district, and the result can only be conjectured. It is possible that Parliament, after having bungled the Board’s affairs in such a stupid fashion, will now become exasperated at its own folly, and that nothing will prevent it from going the whole porcine animal and trying to squeeze out of the taxpayers sufficient to makegood the deficiency. But wehope that a majority of the House will not prove so stubborn and unreasonable—that there will be men with fairness enough to acknowledge that it is solely through the action of Parliament itself that the Board has been placed in its present position, and that they will recognise the wisdom of the simple plan by which it is proposed the difficulty should be overcome. The members of the Board can at any rate be credited with having acted with great caution in a matter which is very delicate to deal with.