SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 66, 18 March 1924, Page 6

SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT

Reference •• was made by the Chairman of the Harbour Board yesterday to criticism of the Board's development policy. There had been a tendency in some country places, he said, to charge the Board with over-expenditure in extending and developing the port. The answer to this criticism is contained in the statement of accounts for the past year and in the large surplus of assets held by the Board. Progressive development has'been justified, and it would be most unwise for a public authority, such as the Harbour Board is, to assume that it can afford to go slowly and not keep abreast.of the times. ■ Transport facilities have a great influence upon trade, and port equipment is essential for progress." Of course, development must be wisely planned. Foresight must be shown, but foresight does not involve the immediate prosecution of works which will not be warranted for a decade. So far as we are able to judge, the Board has proceeded with caution, neither lagging behind nor outstripping the growth of trade. The country critics, we believe, could find better material for criticism in the operations of some of the lesser port authorities which have burdened their districts and loaded transport charges by trying to develop ports where neither the natural conditions nor the prospective trade have justified the effort.