The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, August 11, 1888. THE HARBOR QUESTION.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 181, 11 August 1888, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday, August 11, 1888. THE HARBOR QUESTION.

Ho just and fear not; Let all the ends thou alm'st at bo th/ oountry'a, Thy God’s, and truth's.

We again approach the question which of all others is perhaps the most important local question that has ever occupied the attention of the people of this district, and as such it should be considered without the least approach to party or personal feeling. All hope appears to be lost of Parliament allowing the works to be proceeded with beyond a certain point, and' the question of an alternative site is altogether thrown

on one side. The works have been proceeded with so far and no Don Quixote is likely to arise who will attempt to displace the blocks now laid down. Therefore the question simply resolves itself into this : Will the accruing benefits be sufficient to warrant us in spending another £40,000 upon the works ? It is sheer madness for us to turn round and abuse one another for the critical position in which we are placed—we are all in the same boat, and must proportionately share the advantages or disadvantages. The opponents of the site have no alternative before them—they have not the privilege of answering whether this or that site is the best: they must condemn or approve of the spending of another £40,000, with only the very faintest prospect of any ultimate change. But confining ourselves to that, we have yet seen no arguments with enough force to justify the continuation. Why, one will ask, is it not madness to leave all those blocks lying in the yard and lose all the interest upon them without deriving any benefit at all ? By spending £40,000 will we not gain all that as well as accommodation for such vessels as the Australia? No, interest will have to be paid in any case, and the gain must be calculated on the simple basis whether the advantage is worth the expenditure, assuming of course there is a certainty to rely upon. One point has been made much of that a person who wished to ship some sheep a few days ago could not manage to do so on account of the rough sea, but had the work been advanced to the intended length, it is said that sheep could have been shipped without recourse to lighters. With regard to this we understand that shippers always object to putting stock on the small boats, and that they would rather pay a little more to get their sheep by the larger vessels, but, disallowing this, would it not be necessary to have yards and other conveniences for the stock. How many hundred sheep are there likely to be shipped by the year in the smaller boats, or in any boats for that matter? Then what about rolling stock and sheds for the goods ? Would not an experienced man be required to attend to the locomotive, in addition to other labor? Then sheds and other conveniences will be required. It has been stated that a large sum will be saved on the cost of lighterage and the reduction of freight. Is it likely Messrs Kennedy and Evans or any other firm will maintain lighters and fhe necessary staff to serve one or two boats a week or less for the same charges as they would tender a larger number ? There is another point which should have some weight. At the present time when the weather is rough, the boats keep well towards Nipk's Head, and can tranship cargo when the swell that is in the bay would render this impossible. Can we rely that the proposed extension will allow vessels to discharge in all weather ? With regard to the ten mile radius we may rest assured that it will make no alteration, because if the settlers are asked to repord their votes it amounts almost to a certainty that further liability will be objected tp. If as stated, the site question has been permanently settled, we would like to know how it can be assorted that all the money spent so far has been thrown into the sea? The blocks laid down are not likely to rot, and, granting the point with regard to the site, the nucleus is there for any future continuation. Even were the shipping facilities of the best it must be remembered that the back country is not opened up as it should be, and consequently while it might by some be found profitable to increase the imports, the exports might decrease in proportion. The Union Company has been brought prominently into the question, and assertions have been made that the Company must do just as it is bid. We are afraid we may to our cost find out our mistake, and that the district may all the time be playing into the Company’s hands.