SMALLER PORTS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 51, 7 September 1928, Page 10

SMALLER PORTS

ARE THEY RETARDED ?

ATTACK ON WELLINGTON

CHARGE BY MR. VEITCH

An exhortation to the smaller harbour boards to tako action in self-defence against tho larger boards was made by Mr. \V. A. Veitch (Wanganui) in the House of Ber>resentatives yesterday. For a number of years, said Mr. Veitch, a strong propaganda has been going on on the part of the larger ports to try -to do everything possible to discredit the secondary ports. "In my judgment," remarked Mr. Veitch, "it is time that those who represent the secondary ports took a very firm stand on this matter." He particularly blamed the Wellington Harbour Board. The secondary ports were entitled to a fair ehauce along with the other ports, and it could easily be proved by unbiased persons that they were rendering a very valuable service to producers within their commercial zones. To abandon tho secondary ports and to attempt to send produce to the larger ports b; rail would be a very expensive experiment, and one which the country could not afford. The time had arrived when somo very plain speaking must be done by those who were responsible in the House for the defence of the fair and equitable interests of secondary ports^ Ho could sco the timo coming when proposals were made to raise money for the development of harbour schemes, howevor good the prospects might be, that tho Wellington Harbour Board and other boards would resist tho empowering legislation which was asked for. It was absolutely necessary, ho bolioved, for the secondary harbour boards to create their own association and secede from the Harbours Association. If they did not do that their power and influence in the Harbours Association would bo directed against themselves in the interests of tho major ports. He protested strongly against what had already beon done in that direction. He was certain that if the propaganda carried on was successful a very great injury would be done, not only to the ratepayers who had raised money for the development of tho ports, but to the producers. It was a recognised principle all over tho world that water transportation was cheaper than any other form of transportation. It did not require a mathematician to prove that Wanganui would benefit to tho extont of i)os per ton on tho whole iof its importations when it had reached tho stago of being ablo to accommodato oversea vessels. They had almost reached that point now, but experience had taught them that the nearer they got to that the moro determined was the opposition to their progress from other directions. It was unfortunate for the Dominion in general that such a position had arisen. The wisest course for the main ports to adopt would be to tako up a neighbourly attitude instead of an unfriendly one. Wellington and Wanganui had very much in common. Hitherto they had been good neighbours and had worked together to help each other, but within the last few years a very foolish propaganda had been conducted in Wellington rind directod especially against Wanganui port. Ho appealed to tho Minister of Marino not to allow himself to be influenced in any way by the propaganda and'to sco that every port would be given a fair run and every facility for development. It had been stated that there had been extravagance in tho expenditure of money on tho secondary ports. He had not gone closely into the figures and was not going to make any charges against tho administration of any of the New Zealand ports, but he did not believe that there had been any extravagance, either in the secondary or the main ports. He denied the charge that Wanganui had not spent money wisely, and he claimed that he knew what he was speaking about. Tho charges were being made for the purpose of shaking the confidence of the ratepayers of the harbour rating area, so as to deter them from granting to tho Wanganui Harbour Board the necessary funds to complete tho job it had in hand and which was very nearly finished. Ho appealed to the Minister not to bo influenced by the propaganda, which had a purely selfish and narrow purpose in view. It was not in the interests of Wellington port that any injury should be done to the port of Wanganui. He trusted that the Minister would always give a fair and balanced judgment when considering matters connected with the secondary ports.