The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1908.

Evening Star, Issue 12943, 5 May 1908, Page 4

The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1908.

liiorcn the discussion at tho special meet-

ing of the Harbor Board Harbor Board last night was not characteran<J ised by unanimity, tho difDock Trust, fercnces, of opinion were hardly of vital importance, and every member supported the genera' principle of amalgamation. A small committee of the Board had reported, with qualified approval, on the proposals advanced a week ago by the Dock Trust. Those proposals were, in effect, that tho Board should assume all the assets and responsibilities of the Trust, and find the funds necessary for the completion and equipment of the new dock; that- tho two I bodies should join in trying to induce the j debenture-holders to accept a reduction of interest from sto per cent, (amalgamajtion to be conditional on the acceptance j of this reduction), and that tho enabling • legislation should be promptly sought. j Expression was given to three sets of views i last night. A section of tho Board (including two members of the Special ComI mittee) held that the amalgamation project should be taken into favorable consideration upon the completion of the dock, and not before. It is not denied that the position of the Trust, as regards the equipment, if not the completion, of the dock, is the reverse of favorable; indeed, it is safe to say that the Trust would j not have approached the Board with a view to amalgamation if the finances had been in an easy state. This consideration led ; Mr Rattray and Mr Duthio to the view j that the proposals of the Trust should not - be entertained until the works at- the new dock wore out of hand. But, as Mr Bulj lock pointed out with much force, the fact I of the Trust being in difficulties is the best | justification of tho appeal for assistance, j seeing that tho dock must bo finished and equipped by some means; and, after all, it yj the indivisible interest of the Port of Otago as a whole that has to be con- , sidered. If the financial position of tho (Trust is unsound, would the Board have I anything to gain—nay, would they not have [ everything to lose—by encouraging developments which would' only make the unsoundness more serious? Another section, led by Mr Belcher, were in favor of an immediate acceptance of tho Trust's proposals, Mr Belcher enforced his views with a good deal of cogency. Emphasising the desirability of establishing an und ; - vided control of the waterway from tho 1 Heads to Dunedin, he contended that the ultimate Interests and responsibilities of Board and .Trust wore one ami the same tiling, and that the Board’s duty was to take whatever steps were likely to increase the trade of the port. “He was desirous “of seeing the port go ahead. Tho dock “would help to make the port, and the “ sooner the Board got hold of the dock ; “ and everything connected with it the better it would be for the port.” We do not think that the Board would have run any great risk, or gone far wrong in any way, if they had followed Mr Belcher’s counsel and accepted the Trust's proposals without delay. It is right to observe, however, that the delay involved in tho adoption of Mr Clow's motion need not be great. Mr Gow, voicing tho opinion of tho third or intermediate section, pro- , posed tho following resolution;

j That tho Harbor Board, with a view to conserving the interests of the Port of Otago and of the community to whom the whole interests of the port belong, agree to accept the proposals of the Dock Trust as a basis of amalgamation, and i appoint a committee to further deal with [ the matter and report. Mr Gow made some excellent remarks, all tending to speedy amalgamation; and, indeed, ho subsequently admitted that his heart’ was with Mr Belcher’s proposal. He appears to have moved his resolution for a further committee in order that no one should he able to say that the thing was rushed, and wo have no quarrel with tins course, provided that no apathy is displayed. Tho new Committee should bo ; ready with their report next week, for the parliamentary session will bo starting in about seven weeks’ time, and Dunedin has had too many instances of carelessness and procrastination in respect to ! parliamentary applications. What the people of this district want is that the dock should be completed and equipped at the earliest possible moment, so that the Port of Otago may (as (Mr Belcher says) “go ahead.” It is in the interests of tho port (not “tho Port” in tho colloquial sense) that the work has been undertaken, and Mr Gow truly observed last night that “it docs not really matter ” whether the Board or the Trust bring it to completion. Only it so happens that the Board have the better means at disposal.