PORT OF WHANGAREI.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 187, 8 August 1919, Page 2

PORT OF WHANGAREI.

HABBOVB lUFROVTOG BOX, APPROVED BY CONFERENCE. IMPROVEMENT SCHEME QUESTIONED. (By Telegraph.—Owij Correspondent.) .WHANGAREI, Wednesday. That the farming community of the North is fully alive to the benefit that will accrue to it by the improvement of Whangarei Harbour was evinced, at the conference held in Whangarei this afternoon, when a large meeting of delegates convened by the Whangarei Harbour Board assembled to discuss the Empowering Bill, which it is proposed to have passed into law to enable the Board to borrow up to £150,000, with authority to levy a rate not exceeding lid in the £ on the capital value of all property situate within the Harbour Board Dietrict. Representatives were present from all road boards, town boards, Whhngarei County Council, Borougn Council, Chamber of Commerce, dairy companies, cheese factories, Farmers' Union branches, A. and P. Society, and the Dominion. Portland Cement Company. The members of the Whangarei Harbour Board were also present. Mr. J. D. McKenzie, chairman Whangarei Harbour Board, presided, and opened the proceedings by addressing those present. He said:—

"The Harbour Board, after an existance of 26 years, during which time it had been endeavouring to keep the trade of the port going, out of revenue, found the task was too great. Our trade is growing daily, but larger boats cannot be ueed until a greater depth of water is secured to accommodate them. This has been the problem that confronts our Board, and they decided to get an expert opinion from an outside qualified engineer, who would be unhampered by local influences or by local prejudices, to advise on what he considered the best course to pursue to make our harbour such as to be of the greatest service to the districts which require to use it. That report has been furnished, and on it the Board decided on a definite policy which they submit for your approval. They are promoting an Empowering Bill in Parliament, giving them rating powers over the harbour district. This they consider necessary before a start can be made to do any of the necessary works required. With your asistance the bill will undoubtedly have an easy passage through the House of Representatives, and through the other chamber. It will then be necessary for the Board to take a poll of the ratepayers before money can be raised by way of loan, so that at every etey the activities of the Board are under your own control, not a penny can be borrowed without the proposal being fully explained and meeting with your approval. The next step will be to obtain a detailed survey of the harbour from Marsden Point to the town wharf, and from the main channel to Parua Bay and to Oakleigh. Having ascertained the nature of the. material to be dealt with the next step will be to secure a suitable plant to deal with it, and land! it 3 on 'the mud flats which have been"secured:by the Board, and which when properly reclaimed will be a source of revenue to the Board. With your approval of the acquisition of this plant, the Board propose to start on that stretch of water between the railway bridge and the town wharf, so as to enable the town to get its regular supply for distribution to the out districts, after which the plant will be available for any other part of the harbour requiring attention.

Mr. D. A. McLean (member Whangarei Harbour Board) said he would like it made clear that it was not the intention •of the 'Board to have two deep water ports, -which was a. misconception that had arisen in certain quarters. There was no intention of going on with the whole scheme.

•Mr. J. D. McKenzie said the Harbour Board had held a special meeting to consider its own policy in regard to these improvements. He then outlined Mr. Blair Mason's report, covering the whole scheme suggested and extended over cix years, as already published, but without in any way committing themselves to this, the following -was the Harbour Board's policy as adopted at last special i meeting:—That on the approval of the j board's by-laws.and the passing of its Empowering , -Bill, the 'board adopt the following policy:—(1) To get a detailed survey of tho harbour from Ivioreroa to ■ the Whangarei Town wharf, and' from Marsden Point to Kioreroa, including the; main channel to Oakleigh, also a survey of the channel to Parua Bay to the propoeed wharf. (2) That having ascertained the nature of the material to be dealt with, the board take immediate steps to secure a suitable dredging plant. (3) That deepening the channel to the Town wharf ehould be the first -work put in hand. (4) That provision for larger shipping at Kioreroa and Marsden. Point ■must depend on trade requirements, such ac the erection of freezing works or other industrial developments. Mr. George Elliott (Dominion Portland Cement Co.) said the outline traced by the engineer looked very pretty on paper. ■He hated to be against progress. A progressive harbour board was a very fine ■thing; but he asked them to remember the position of other harbour boards in' the Dominion and their present difficult ■positions, caused by an extravagant borrowing policy. Before a farthing is to be borrowed, the ratepayers will have a say. Where did they .ntend to get their rates? On cement and coal? He maintained that the 1/ per ton proposed to tax cement would pay the interest on the whole scheme. On the present 'basic the Cement Company* would pay *Mr. J. E. Holmes (Whangarei Borough Council and Chamber of Commerce) said if clause 4 was not to be brought into operation well and good, but if the bottonj *as going to fall out of cement and coal they would be bound to pay a rate. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Mannington (Maungatapere) eaid the Maungatapere Farmers' Union was unanimous in supporting the bill, being of opinion that any tax imposed would have plenty of increased revenue to meet it.

■ Mr. D. A. McLean: Our reclamations and endowments in future will produce revenue.

-Mr. J. D. McKenzic, by requeet, read the proposed Empowering Bill through, following on some discission as to clauses 4 and 'J. The bill embraces power to borrow up to £150,000 and authority to strike a rate not exceeding Ud in the £ on the capital value ot ratable property in the Whangarer harbour district. The board had power on a previous occasion to borrow £ 100,000, but somehow the ratine clause had got struck out, and .was now amended to borrow £150,000. This Act had nothing to do -with Mr. Blair •Mason's scheme, only to give ue power to borrow monej.

RESOLUTION PROTOSEk ->' Mr. F. McDonald (chairing e |» Hikurangi Dairy Compaq) £3 "That this meeting of of local bodies. Chamber of Cloiamtt? i Farmers' Union, agricultural .a^J? , tions and industries of the WfcanmS.' harbour district support the the proposed Whangarei powering Bill in its entirety," *\-'"* Mr. «. J. McCormick (Whaa«iii Chamber o£ Commerce) eecondedTiu said that before *he board could w row money they would have tq cobmk the ratepayers, and if this bill doe» ««t go through they cannot do anything to improve the harbour out of nrmvie Mr. J.. A. S. McKay (president of'tie A. and P. Society) eaid that he. kid found in going around the country ttorf 1 the farmers were fairly unanimous jgj passing this bill into law, Mr. Jas. Jackeon ('Whangarel Borough Council) eaid that had he knots the question at issue was the. bill <% he would have voted for it, ' Mr. J. S. Dent (Mayor of Whangarei); 1 am against the schemes and propoeafc but I am not against the Harbour Boat! striking a rate. I still enter my protest ■ and I have sent the same on to Wellut ton. \. ,7^S. Air. J. E. Finlayson (president Siir Provincial Executive of the 'Fannin , Union) said that the little amount of rate they would nave to pay would only amount to a few shillings each,' but tla benefits would be very great. WnangiMi town, as compared to the district intt • ested, was only a spot on the map. • ■ ' Mr. J. B. Mclnnes (County Conncll Chinrman) considered they should have every confidence in Mr. Bhir Mason, andin his report, but that was not to iay~ that they were mad enough to. go on yii* the whole scheme at once. At ".'.' it cost £2 per ton to take butter to Auckland, when we could put into cool"' storage on Whangarei harbour for tlie same number of shillings. J - ■■ The resolution was then put to tie conference and carried by an overwhelming majority. Five votes only were recorded against, and these were those eta Mr. J. S. Dent (Mayor of Whineirei], Councillor E. G. W. Tibbits (Whang»r6 ,Borough Council), Mr. A. H. Haioa (Onerahi Town Board), and Measri'e" Elliot and Wilson, representing the JXh minion Portland Cement Co."'' ' '