NAPIER BREAKWATER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 5

NAPIER BREAKWATER.

[• :: . '<.-'■; \ (BY, TELEGRAPH— I'UESS ASSOCIATION.) ... .■':■ ■■';.! v,■■■_.. ■"'■:■ ••-...■'■' /fNapie'r/ February 10.., .■ : The: Napier Harbour Board's proposal' to borrow ; £200,000 for the completion of'. the breakwater was rejected by the. ratepayers, the voting in its favour, being 197/ snort of the. three-fifths ■majority'necessary!.to authorise tb. eloan. ~ '■' ■•■:•"■ (BYTELEaBAPH—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) The defeat of the Napier Harbour Board loan' proposals; caused a'keen sense of disappointment'in .town to-day. The'question was fought out on the principle of. town versus, country,, and the. latest results show that the, country has won. The clauses of the proposed loan made an. effective weapon for the country party, although Mr. J. Vigor Brown, M.l'., chairman of the Harbour Board, ,and an active supporter of the proposals, declared that if tho loan was carried the rates would be reduced by one-half this year,, and wiped out altogether, next year.. The poll demonstrated tho feeling of local jealousy which, evidently exists between Napier and Hastings, the latter town throwing in its. lot with the country party. The voting of the two towns was':—■ . : Napier.—For the proposal,, 1470; against, 182." ■ ' Hastings.—For tho proposal, 801 j. against, 629.. ■■: •'..''■. :,:' ■'; ■ . Waipukufau and Waipawa also threw in their lot with the'opposition.. • The breakwater, will now probably have to be continued out; of Harbour Board revenue, but in view of what may local politics have assumed a distinctly interesting asjebt in Hawfco'B Bay. ■ .