Harbor Matters.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6988, 15 February 1894, Page 2

Harbor Matters.

[PBB FBBSB ASSOCIATION.']

Auokdakd, Lat-t night.' At the annual meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday the ohairman, referring to the kauri gum industry, said:—"As the gum business just now is so very critioal, and has been so some time, I am seriously afraid that Auokland has begun to feel the weight of the consequences, and it is a very debatable question whether the Gum Com-

mission, set up by the Government last

year, was not to a great extent responsible for the result. It is already being realised that the Commission told the Americana and others more than enough concerning this valuable export of ours. They now know what it oosts to produce, and they are regulating the buying prices accordingly, leaving a smaller margin of profit than hitherto, whereas if the details had not been made known to them the results would I

believe have beon continuously better." Alluding to the Calliope dook and the naval station, the ohairman said : " Anticipations have not been realised. Auckland is not the naval head-quarters, and the costs to the naval ships when in dook have had to be reduced. We still have to pay for wear and tear, and £20 10s per day interest, besides wages, ooal, etc., to keep this dock going. The Board is in faot providing a splendid picnic ground for one and all the warships that come here, in addition to dook conveniences, without getting shilling profit to the Board towards the ih-^

terest on between £150,000 and £200,000 that has been spent by the Board to provide these conveniences. This is a crushing weight for a small port like ours to carry year after year without any hope of relief, and absolutely no income from it. In consequenoe of the reduced charges there is no profit left. If we had the £20

10s to spend in the harbor every day, instead of having to find ie to support the Calliope dook, we could start two big dredges and keep them going every day, whioh would mean that in a short time Freeman's Bay would be filled in, more allotments with frontages to Patterson street would be available for faotory and other purposes, and the Board's revenue be increaEed thereby. Upon referring to the aocounts you will see that the item having reference to dook dues is nearly £900 less this year. In my opinion, notwithstanding what is done in Lyttelton or elsewhere something should be done here at once to restore th a diminishing income. I look upon this item as being very serious, hence my reason for drawing special attention to it " Ihe ohairman stated that he might have made his report of a more "glossy aud prospective" character, but he did not desire to do so.

Mr Niocol said he took exception to soma of the remarks mad? by the chairman andi moved, " That the address of the ohairman be referred to the finance and legal committee."

Mr Witheford said he greatly admired the speech, and asked the chairman (Mr Crowther) to read his paragraph likening the speolal committee to a "mountain of snow " again.

Mr Crowther: "Witheford, stick to business, please." Mr Witheford said he would second Mr Nicool's proposal. Various other members criticised the report and the ohairman's address, and eventually it was referred to the finance and legal committee.