POLLUTION OF THE HARBOUR

Wellington's harbour has been treated with more disrespect than the river of Christchurch, which has been described, unfairly, as a "sludge channel." It is true that the Avon, which was once a very clear stream, has not beer improved by the storm-water drains and household effluent, but the people have a pride in the banks. In the spring golden daffodils glow below the willows., and swans glide by an isle of rhododendrons near a wealth of bloom on Japanese trees. Verdure and flowers abound by the curves of quiet water, which winds to the sea, without a murmur. How different in Wellington ! Instead «f the crocus one- beholds the carapace of a crayfish and cabbage stalks by the crescent of Oriental Bay. That strand, bright and clea-n in tho days long gone, is occasionally blackened by cinders ejected, illegally, from ships in port The old boot, the straw packing of bottles, fragments of fruit cases, and other waste material of civilisation find a temporary resting-place on the beach. A Sherlock Holmes, by a walk along the shore after a northerly blow, would be able to make interesting notes on the habits and character of Wellington and the shipping. The corks might, perhaps, mislead him, for it would not be fair to judge Wellington by the hosts of corks which litter the coast. Much of the sea's jetsam and the rubbish dumped from the city side would convince Sherlock that he was concerned with a prosperous community which could afford to waste much from which older countries, and even America, would get some profit. The investigator would also be forced to the conclusion that he had abundant evidence of the people's indifference to ugliness and their amazing toleration of unpleasantness easily avoidable. The detective, if he spread his work over some days, would also gain some knowledge as to the kinds of cats and dogs kept in Wellington, for specimens are cast up by the waves. These things are an abomination to the City Engineer. The Post is aware that Mr. Morton is as eager as any other citizen to have the harbour and the shore kept as clean an possible, but the task is huge. The City Corporation and the Harbour Board should be in active co-operation, but no vigorous concerted policy has been adopted. Tho Board has elaborate bylaws against pollution of the harbour by ships. The Board has a special service of carts to collect kitchen refuse and garbago from the vessels, and tho vehicles go tho rounds regularly, but hands on tho steamers do not always wait for that call. Any day one may go to tho waterfront and see bylaws broken in broad daylight. The offenders, who tip noisome ugly refuse into the sea, do not seem to make any effort at concealment of their misdeed ; commonly tho dump* ing is done in a manner which gives a clear view of the offender from tho wharves. Probably many of theso illtreaters of the harbour would bo mi?prised if they were informed thnt thoir conduct was a breach of a bylaw. Immunity from prosecution and punishment has been enjoyed for so long thnt the dumping is evidently bolioved to be permissible. Any such misunderstanding should be removed at tho (h»l opportunity— which might be nvnilnblo lon Mondaj. Tho men on tho ahips 1 should las tay£ht |turl£. a u<i finuj^ thftt

Wellington peoplo will not have their harbour turned into a sink or dump for refuse and rubbish. Unquestionably the laxity of the Harbour Board has helped in the disfigurement of .Oriental Bay. Some residents of that locality have to bear a portion of the blame, and the balance has to bo debited to the City Corporation. No doubt the chronic unsightliness of parts of the beach lias led some citizens to tho belief that reclamation would bo an im« provement— and the City Council in senously thinking of a proposed agraemont with the Harbour Board for such % work. Such reformers may well say : "Better a well-ordered reclamation than a slow siJting and an accretion of jetsam and a dumping of rubbish." The Council's resolution to substitute a recreation ground (by reclamation) for tho interrupted esplanade project is to come up again for review within the next fortnight Meanwhile tho various Beautifying Societies and Municipal Electors' Associations could earn tho gratitude of the community by proving that they havo some interest in the harbour and the beaches.