THE MANUKAU DANGER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 194, 15 August 1904, Page 4

THE MANUKAU DANGER.

Now that the Taranaki members have joined forces with our Auckland repre sentatives to bring pressure to bear on Government as to the removal of tin d'oeks in the Jianukau, we presume we have a little better chance of seeui_ something done in this direction a measurable Lime. It is notning les« liian a djagra.ee to the Depai Uneii i tuj.----«s supposed to watah over the colony - joiiiuieiuiAi interests tiaai such a daiigc .A) oux cuaaiai trade should be . ju iony. iutve occ. •iituc iuuie oiuu uiia.ii we ■'■* '>» lo tin;.. <-i.us iWJoat Uie 10-uius ueiu - -iNO. 4 Hub, vi Uie ,Via,uiir»rtU, <uiu it is oniy a iuuiu. ..yo tiiai Lue _u.oiawa, naaiowiy e&cupcserious disastej.- on tiieiu. l'ne ordinal-,-aLale of Liic JdauuKau at iuj best La „ neavy hauuieap to our West sjiijjXJiiig; and it its very UiUKiult to uiuici , L and why the Jnuister for Marine Jxat> not long ago taken the necessary steps lo remove tius oos-truction. As al. liirkbride pointed out on Saturday U. Air Hall-Jones, the West Coast steaineis carry annually about 70,000 tons ol cargo and 50,000 passengers—a public us set which it is surely the duty o* Go vernment to protect from any dang it that can possibly be avoided. Last year a vote was put upon the Estimates fur the removal of these rocks, but nothing has yet been done. The only excuse tint Mr Hall-Jones could furnish to lasf week's deputation was that rf.he torpedo corps which was supposed to blow uip the rocks had been too busy to pay any attention to the Manukan. We aro not in a position to say how the torpedo corps is usually occurred but the Defence Department 'must he rrraeh harripr workpd than is supposed if it cannot spare a d'nz<m Tnfn and a few pounds of jrnn cotton for such a purpose as thR Mr Hall-Jonps has assured out members that be will lay ■the matter 'before the Cabinet, ar>d that if necessary thp vote will be increased; but that will do us little .pond if the money is not expended. It oiisrht to be qtritp clear to the people of Wellington am? Taranaki that this is a matter in ■which they are interested as mnch as Auckland: and we hope the aippesl forwarded last month to the Cham'ber=; of Commerce at WeTlinston and New Plymouth to aeritate for the re-rrroval of these dangerous rocks will have the deaired effect.