OUR HARBOR CHARGES.

Evening Star, Issue 7183, 11 April 1887, Page 3

OUR HARBOR CHARGES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—By Mr Reid’s showing the improvements in the Upper Harbor have caused a saving to the importer of 6s 2d per ton. This has been effected by borrowed money under public guarantee, and the public have a right to demand that the 6s 2d saved should be added to the present wharfage on goods landed. By reducing the secretary’s salary to L 350 and employing a collector at LI6O (the person who collects for the Canterbury railways and Harbor Board is paid LIGO per annum), we could afford to reduce the towage to Id each way, to reduce the harbor charges to 2d, and to abandon compulsory pilotage altogether. Or, if we did not abandon compulsory pilotage, by ray plan of management we should save L 1,926 per annum at tlie very least, and by dealing liberally with the secretary and his assistants wo should make a further saving of L 940, making a total saving of L 2,866 in salaries alone without touching the Engineer’s department. This saving, added to the just increase of wharfage on goods, should enable us to make the port of Otago one of the freest ports in Otago. Now, I have taken the trouble to show the Harbor Board . how to bring about the required reforms, and if tliey don’t do so the public will call on them to resign and give place to men who will. By this correspondence 1 have raised the back of the Port Chalmers family, but I (lon’t care for that if I only instil a'little sense into them.—l am, etc., Thomas H. Hodge. Port Chalmers, April 11.