THE HARBOR WORKS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6230, 6 September 1888, Page 2

THE HARBOR WORKS.

(TO THE EDITOR.) Sir, — Your correspondent this morning, in my opinion, instead of signing." Hater of All "Shams," Bhould have signed " Hypocrite," for he does not scruple where the facts do not serve him to invent them. •.■■■■ ; ■';•"•,'; It is clear that my intention in using the words " pledge my reputation " meant for truthfulness, and was applied to' the alarm expressed by the master mariners ; and none who would not wish to play upon words, or to misrepresent me, can give them a different meaning. Without claiming any professional, ability on the subject, I am not ashamed to say that I ,have some Blight knowledge of the condition the walls should be left in to afford us the best protection against the prevalent sea .on our bar. This is the result of many years' studying a subject In which I "was and am deeply interested, and any man of ordinary intelligence can acquire this just as well as a professional man, and therefore I did not hesitate in saying nor in implying that if the Engi-nee.r-in-Chief was Bent here it would be found there Is just cause for the alarm in the minds of the master mariners. While on this subject of harbor works, if you will permit me to say it, that instead of having any intention to injure the contractors financially in the courae I was advocating, T had the impression that it would benefit them. For 1 presume thai if the work were stopped Government or the harbor board would act under their specifications and contract, wherein provision is made for terminating this contract at any point of the work if the En: gineer-in-Chief is satisfied that its continuance would endanger the navigation of the harbor, and upon such determination that the contractors' plant and material would be taken from them and paid for ; and the expression of a particular friend of theirs in Wellington was that they desired nothing be'ter. However, as regards my action, their position never entered into my mind at the time of writing the telegram. I acted from conviction that the course was a right one, and subsequent reflection but confirms that conviction. — I am, &c, M. Kennedy. Greymouth, September 5, 1888.