HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16508, 28 April 1919, Page 8

HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION.

Mr T. H: Harker, one of the four Port Christchurch League's candidates for the Lyttelton Harbour Board, gave addresses on. Saturday ©veiling at tho Hibernian Hall, and the LinXvood school, in favour of the League's plans and estimates for constructing a harbour basin and channel in the Sumner estuary at a cost ,of £718,(320. Mr Harker said that Mr J. JDougall's assertion that this amount was "far too. low for any intelligent, person to believe," and that "the League proposed scrapping the Lyttelton Harbour and two millions' worth, of improvements," was not'only incorrect, but showed a great want of. knowledge.' Surely the opinion of the League's engineer, Mr Samuel Jeckell, j who had prepared the plan and estimates, atid would stake his reputation j on his plan and figures being reliable, and intelligent also, should be accepted. Mr Harker produced the Lyttelton Harbour Board's report for 1918, proving that, the tot#l value of the Board's property was only £633,278, which, included a great proportion of movable assets. Ho contended that an additional port at Heathcote would not be the means of scrapping Lytteltonj for with an electrified tunnel and a Government which would run frequent trains at reduced fares, Lyttelton would become a good seaside resort. As an old member of the League, and honorary secretary, he had studied the subpect of direct seaway from every possible unbiased viewpoint, and was sure he was right in: concluding that there was nothing so vital to the progress of this community as forming a harbour on this side of the hills. Their opponents admitted that they were unduly handicapped by the Government control of the wharves and railway, and yet suggested spending probably a. million pounds in duplicating the tunnel, etc. If this was done, the interest on this money, say, £50.000 per annum, must be charged on coal, timber, ana merchandise, thereby adding to the already high cost of living. Mr S. Jeckell's scheme provided a basin of 85 acres, to be increased to 200 acres, with a channel depth of 25 feet at L.W.0.5.T.; an entrance of 700 feet, and a bottom width of 150 feet to 250 feet; and 800 acres, of free land reclaimed 4 feet high above H.W.O.S.T. The total cost would be £718,600. "Interest on this at 5 per cent.," continued Mr Harker, "with a Sinking Fund of 1 per cent., requires only, say, £43.100 annually. As the revenue of the Harbour Board is roughly. £70,000, and about £30,000 is all that is required for the general working of the port, the surplus, revenue would pay the interest required. Reclaimed land in Timaru has recently sold at £600 per acre. We will have 800 acres to start with. The rent of Wellington's 53 acres _ is about £29,000 annually, and it is quite likely that our reclaimed land will provide sufficient to 'finance the whole scheme. The saving to this community on coal and timber alone would amount to at least £60,000 per annum. In addition to this the great advantage in respect to passengers must b© taken into consideration." | - A vote of thanks and confidence was passed to the speaker at the conclusion I of the meeting.