HARBOR BOARD EXCURSION.

Evening Star, Issue 13104, 10 November 1908, Page 4

HARBOR BOARD EXCURSION.

The Otago Harbor Board’s annual excursion down the'bay in one of their tugs, held yesterday, was a pronounced success. The Koputai left Dunedin wharf at 10 a.m. with a large number of people aboard, and after she had picked up another contingent at_ Port Chalmers there must have been over'lso passengers. And they were most hospitably entertained. Morning tea_ was served on the run down, and on arrival at the Heads shortly after jioon a most excellent luncheon was provided, while on the run up to town afternoon tea was laid out. This year invitations were issuedto Harbor Board employees for the first time, and there was a larger proportion of children than usual. During the stay of nearly four hours at the small jetty near the Heads the passengers had an opportunity of climbing to the lighthouse, enjoying a blow and a superb view, and watching the big gun practice engaged in by the Navals on the Hongkong targets towing astern of the Rakiura away out at sea. A number of the passengers were also conveyed in an oil launch across to the spit to inspect the progress being made by the Board’s engineer with the groins, etc., which are catching the drift sand, and at once preventing it finding its way into the channel and consolidating it into a guide for the tidal water, so that the current may scour the new channel still deeper. All this was explainer by Mr J. Blair Mason, and members of the Board and others expressed their complete satisfaction, and the opinion that in Mr Mason the Board had the right man in the right . place. There was some speech-making, and Mr Barclay, chairman of the Harbor Board, gave figures to prove that the pessimistic opinion that Dunedin was going back as a port was not founded on fact. The Harbor Board’s revenue returns showed that the port Was making steady progress. On the way back there was also speechmaking in the Koputai’s cabin. Mr W. Gow, a member of the Board, referred to the success of the new cut near the Heads opened up by Mr Mason, and prophesied confidently that within twelve months wo would have 26ft of water off Harrington Point, and that there would be no more trouble about the entrance, so that the Board would be able to devote themselves to providing swinging room for big vessels at Port Chalmers, and at the same time pay attention to the channel to Dunedin and to the matter of improved wharf facilities there. Within five years enormous improvements would be made. Each year also the Board hoped to lighten the dues, and their policy would mean a great deal for the prosperity of the City. Mr IV. Belcher said 'that in regard to the channel permanent improvements were being made that would place us before long in a position of being upsides with any port. A good deal of the credit for this was attributable to Mr Mason. Ono thing necessary to carry out these improvements was money. There was a disposition to lower the rates on imports, but he thought the Board ought to adopt .a policy of strong finance and do more work out of revenue and less out of loan money. He therefore urged keeping up the rates until the Board saw their financial position assured. A matter of from £15,000,000 to £20,000,000 had been sunk in harbor works by the various ports of New Zealand, which was a heavy burden for a comparatively small community. Dunedin was'reached shortly before 6 p.m.. the party having enjoyed fine weather except for ono short shower at starting.