AUCKLAND'S FUTURE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 473, 3 April 1909, Page 13

AUCKLAND'S FUTURE.

1 OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK. (BY TEIEQItArU —SPECIAL COFitIRSI'ON'DP.MT.I Auckland, April 1. In moving at _ tho Harbour Board's moating that expenditure on the Auckland ferry buddings be limited to £20,000, Mr, AV. J. Napier sounded a noto of warning regarding the future. Declaring that lie was not a pessimist, Mr. Napier added that neither was ho an ostrich. When ho knew that Now Zealand's exports last year fell away by £3,500,000 as compared with the previous year, and whon ho know that merchants were curtailing their orders, he folt it a matter of diity to ijrgo prudence, There was a tightness in the money market, and though thero was no indication, as far as tho board's goods import wharfage was concorned, of any decrease, still if the goods did not come in tho hoard could not collect wharfage. Ho believed thero would bo a very serious curtailment in orders sent homo by local merchants this season. Consequently, in six or eight months tho import wharfage revenue would fall considerably. He thought £20,000 was sufficient for tho ferry buildings. It was no timo for extravagance. Tho board wanted £500,000 for immediate harbour works. It was true that 5 per cent, return was estimated on the capital for the ferry buildings, but the board paid 4} per cent, for tho money, so that any profit was doubtful, Replying to Mr. Napier's remarks, tlio chairman (Hon. E. Mitcholson) said he thought that if tho public would look ahead they would not consider a temporary cessation or collapse iu business, for anyono with any foresight must realise that there was a ' tremendous. future before Auckland city. There was now a population of 115,000 within a radius of ton miles. It might be possiblo that tho board might suffer in wharfage duos for a few mouths, but was tho boar.l to say "wo are not going to put up a building that must bo sufficient for tho next 20 years because thero is a temporary tightness in tho money market?" Who could say what tho population of Auckland would bo in tho next 20 years? Anyono who realised how tho city was growing, must realiso that it was going to bo bigger and bigger and nevor look back. lie was quito suro that any curtailment of orders for incrchandiso could bo only temporary. Mr. A, J. Entrionn Baitl that although thero was quito a little contraction in tho money market at present, it had to bo remombercd that tho bulk of tlio wharfage dues was paid on poods that could not bo done without. What Syduny was now Auckland promised to heeomo hoforo very many years passed. There was going to bo a tremendous development in Auckland province. There was more waste land hero [ than anywhere, olse in tlio Dominion. Thero was a larger influx of peoplo hero than into any other province.; and thero was a great area of ISativo land to be opened up. Peoplo woro selling out in tho South Island and coming up hero to settle, and all tho trade ' must filter through Auckland city, motion* M '" Nn| '' Cr witluirmv ''is