HARBOR WORKS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XVI, Issue 2154, 5 July 1875, Page 2

HARBOR WORKS.

[to the editor.]. Sir, — Protective and : Harbor Works for Grey mouth are attracting, the attention .of the .'. public, and; • letters on the subject .haven appeared in your columns during the la3t week. The propositions put forward in those letters— for the Borough Council to levy a sixpenny rate, and impose a tax on coal exported — I do not agree with, because I believe such a course would have no beneficial or practical result. The levying of a sixpenny rate would scarcely provide the means for commencing operations, and to impose a duty on coal is not within, the province of the Borough j Council. I submit that the citizens of Greymouth have of late years been nearly taxed to - death with general and special rates, and should not : be called upon in this instance ..to contribute for the improvement of the harbor, seeing that it is purely a Colonial work, from which every town, in ; the Colony would derive advantages.; in plentiful supplies of coal at reduced prices, besides keeping thousands of pounds in New Zealand which now go to enrich Newcastle. I certainly should prefer the General Government to construct the Harbor Works* taking over from the Borough Council the wharfage rates and tonnage dues, which would easily pay the interest on the money, expended, and in a few. years the trade of the port would be so much increased as to leave a large sum yearly to be placed to a sinking fund to pay oft the original capital. But from all I can learn there is no probability of the Government proceeding with works of this kind,' at least for some years : because all the money lately borrowed will be ;ab-, sorbed in works already authorised. It may be asked— Has ' not the Government constructed the railway, purchased the quarries, and gazetted, under the Public Works Act, land on Richmond Quay, and having done all this, will they leave out a link that completes the usefulness of all 1 To this I would simply say, that the Government, in the present state : of its funds, may be content to do a limited trade with the railway in preference to expending L 50,000 in Harbor Works ; the quarries may have been purchased as an estate that will prove invaluable for works of a general character, and 'which probably, a few years hence, could not have been secured at as many thousand pounds as they have now paid hundreds. The land on Richmond Quay will actually be required even with a very limited trade in coal, for sidings. It is well known that there is no .land near the wharf for a coal depot, -and it is more than likely, the Government knowing the above fact, haa secured this land, so that 50 or 100 trucks maybe shunted off on the vacant ground on Richmond Quay arid brought up to the wharf, when vessels aire ready to load. Now, if it is not; the intention of the General Government to proceed with Harbor Works at present there can be no possible objection to entrust the works in the. hands of a Harbor Board. They would be endowed with borrowing powers, and the wharfage rates and tonnage dues would pay the interest on sufficient money to construct the first section, and .thus keep the work progressing steadily. In a few yeara we would; find the work in such a forward state, that the rock, as a breakwater, would be making its appearance in the sea. If the member for the district was. advised by resolution, in public meeting, to bring forward in the Assembly a HarborBill for Greymouth, it would be the best means of testing the sincerity or other-, wise of the Government as to carrying out the work. If they intend to do the work, they will object to the passing of a Harbor Trust Bill for Greymouth. If not, it is reasonable to suppose, in the interests of Greymouth and the Colonyj that they will be anxious to grant every facility to the Bill ; endow the Board with grants in land and money, strike from their ledger the debt owing by the Borough Council, give power to impose a duty on coal and other products, place the services of their surveyors and engineers over, the work, and promote and support the undertaking generally. . ■ So far as I can see, the Harbor Works being carried out by che General Government, is extremely improbable ; by a Harbor Trust, certain. I; go in for the certainty ; and if our leading men and citizens are concerned in the ultimate prosperity of Greymouth they will lose no time, but at once, move in the matter. . 1 am, '<$»., .;• .... ; , . <. . .^Progress. Greymouth, July 3, 1875. .