THE HAWKE'S BAY HERALD. Napier, October 29, 1859. HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 3, Issue 110, 29 October 1859, Page 3

THE HAWKE'S BAY HERALD. Napier, October 29, 1859. HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT.

Three notices appear in the "Herald" of this morning, having reference to harbour improvements about to he immediately undertaken — one requiring tenders for stopping up the present channel between Gough Island and Maori Island ; another, tenders for removing sand or mud from the point at the entrance to the Iron Pot, and depositing it upon land to be reclaimed ; and a third, tenders for supplying piles, planking, &c, for the proposed work. It will seem at first sight that the works thus intended to be carried out will involve a very heavy expenditure ; and many will conclude that they should not be undertaken without a special appropriation by the Provincial Council. But the answer to this is that, in harbour improvement above all other public objects, it is necessary to take "time by the forelock," — that the members of Council, or at least a large majority of them, have sanctioned the step that is being taken, — and, above all, that the works are intended to'be self-supporting. They will cause no more than a temporary drain upon the Provincial revenue. The object at. present aimed at is twofold : to initiate those harbour improvements which are mostimperatively required, and, at the same time, to supply a desideratum which has long been felt — a good road to connect the Shakespeare road with the harbour. TheCrifad^along the Spit is far from being ifi : |gcttHt condition, and, moreover, from the fact of its being, for the most part, upon private property, is" liable at any time to be closed up. To repair a road formed under such circumstances would be manifestly injudicious ; yet the exigencies of increasing traffic loudly demand that something should be done. It is therefore proposed to sheet pile the outside of such portions of Waghorn Street as are now under water/ and to raise them to the required level by deposits of sand and mud removed" from the "Iron Pot'" — thus advancing.the one object— that of clearing the harbour — and accomplishing the other — that of opening the main thoroughfare along the Spit — by means of the; same pro':.CeSS.-. r ,-:^ T- '' -,- ..,,; —,• ••;: ■■■■■ :, -, ,"„■ '- : The opening^ up of Waghorn - S treet inrould, we are informed, give an immediate value; tb lTt.ow'n sections (463 to 479) at present almost wholly submerged and there- ; 'fbre;£jes^ „t^fSr^^^|^^|D»einjg 5 l reclaimed! froiri / theisea ■ BE^|h^|^%ri^s, riyalji^^'o^^jlicSr.j^ui^ ' -,be- a.

laicge, suihi The. inference is that the exto be incurred bn^harbour works Would be more ths^M^pai¥by the proceeds of th©|Land, upon^ls being sold f and that", j in snort, the contemplated undertaking T|ou]d pay its'own^eMpenses.- ~ ifpon the , liclilties .which wouldi be given to traffic," both by land and water, it is, we think, superfluous in us to dwell. - There can be no doubt, generally speaking, that the expediency and practicability of all public works should be discussed in open council before they be determined upon, much less commenced. 1 The Government, however, views the case in point as exceptional, more especially as, prior to the meeting of the council, little can be done beyond entering into preliminary arrangements. The people, so far as we can learn, seem generally to be of one mind with the Government in this matter. The subject, however, is one upon which every settler should form an opinion, and, if necessary, hesitate not to express it.