THE PORT PROJECT.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12378, 18 December 1905, Page 9

THE PORT PROJECT.

♦ TO Tffß EDITOR OF "THE PBESS." Sir, —As one of tho public from whom Mr Kayo experts am "expression of ■ opinion regarding the canal scheme-," I should say that rts practicability as an , economic proposition is entirely a matter for one or two experts to determine. The general public, with poseibly a few exceptions, os far as can be judged, arc entirely in favour of any scheme tliat will advance the interests of the district. To make a port of Christchurch for ocean going steamers would, etc rough guc-i,. increase the importance of tlio place by about 25 per cent. No advent' criticism can deny the advantage which any city would be likely to derive on t'he advent of Neptune, and the thousand and one ramifications connected with his domains to be added to the ordinary life of the place. In our case Neptune's change of address may bo bad ior .Lvttcltan, but it will not bo bad for Chnkchurch if 2000 Lytteltonians come to find it pays them to ehift ■to this side of the hill, and it will not be bad for our citizens to tee thoir Jand values in the vicinity of the dock.s jump up 400 per cent. So far ac Chri.stchurch is concerned, the man unfavourable to the canal should bo as rare as tho '"Grcak Auk.' , But outsido of u<?, 'the farming exporteis may possibly not bo so keen. Their need, as Mr Williams points out, is not quite co ocute. but nil the soniu it is just as essential that the fanner should buy cheap ac that tho townsman should, and the saving in handling and railway rates will cheapen imports for him as well as for the towndwclier. It to resolve< itself into this, either the scheme is commercially practicable or it is not, and the question must be decided by experts, and not the general public. If tound practicable, ail the general public have to do in tho matter, if called upon to pay the interest, is to express its opinion at tho ballot box. Several results would follow- iho inauguration of tho scheme, land values throughout North Oantorbiiry would advance permanently m velirc. Tiie City of Christchurch would know where it was going, end have a defined industrial district. All reads would load to tho docks. The unemployed diffioulty, certainly not very acute ot recent years, would vanish entirely for seven years at least, and altogether thing.-, would be exceedingly busy. But nevertheless, the .oheme is bound to have enemies, and we must not overlook the fact that even half a dozen -interested persons could make a prodigious stir against it in the newspapers, and tho public will do well to keep «n open mind, at least until the pronouncement from tho experts is lorthcoming.—Yours, etc.. i __ .„, PROGRESS, i ± y°— V«en ono reflects tliat Whittaker TV right alono spent £1,250,000 on Lea Park improvements, a million and a half to 150,000 people for a worthy object liko tho above should bo a, baiatollo.