THE CAPE KIDNAPPERS LIGHTHOUSE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10624, 1 June 1897, Page 2

THE CAPE KIDNAPPERS LIGHTHOUSE.

L very important' mitil ier was brought ■tat the meeting of the Chamber of Hb_eroe yesterday site moon, when the ihalrman referred to a ge ieral impression wblob prevailed, that the Government did nob intend proceeding w lth the ereotion of a lighthouse at Capo Kidnappers, and that the Hon. Jameß Cc rroll was using hia lnflaenoe ln the dire otlon of getting the lighthouse placed at the East Cape Instead. Even supposing that this was only a rumor, there wai < sufficient dato before the Chamber to j uaiify its action ln communicating with 1 ibo Minister of Marine wlthoub delay, w lth ths view of prooarlng come 'informal on as to what the Government purpos') dolog ia the matter. Farther than tt is, there Beems some gronnd for the rnmor , seeing that the Government have deferred proceeding with the work for >uoh a long time. Mr Carnell, when member f t Napier, took onnaldorable trouble ln he matter, hiß efforts resulting ia tte Government promising that a lighth mcc would be ereoted, Plans were exhibited in Napier for publio view, and Cap tain Falrohlld was authorised to make' the necessary surveys, which he did. Then the lantern duly arrived from Home, and has been lying stored away for many months In Wellington, but still nothing has been done towards making any farther progress with the work. There ls a crumb of comtort lo the assurance whioh the Bon, W. Hall- Jones some months ago gave Mr R. D,' D. M'Lean, M.H.R, for Napier, that the llghthaase would be put up es soon as tbat fib Cape Pallleor had been taken in hand. But the methods that' che Government are IpuraulDg ln the matter are oertaloly not creditable, Fands oannot be lacking. When we consider the thousands of peuuda of taxpayer}' money that is being squandered reokleilly ln commlßßlona suoh as that on Prlate Benefit Sooieties, or, for Instance, thJlfarolcal appointment of an Inspector of Sultry, to act as a sop to ardent Mlnist^l supporters, It is really scandalous Hut snoh an urgent work as a HghthotH at the Kidnappers should be shelved eftlb has been, especially seeing that tfi money for it was ] rotei more this- a™year_g-r "~ Wa" do aot for a moment dispute the right of the East Coast people to have a lighthouse at the East .Caps as well. There is no reason, why suoh a work oonld not be undertaken in addition to what is propoied at the Kid. tappers, but we really dci think that lb is a striking commentary _pon the negligence ot the Government that the matter should have been deferred so long. There 'a no necessity at this stage to refer to the immense advantages to shipping by the traction of a lighthouse all the Kidnappers. Thai tbo Government havo recognised, bat we think that having gone so far as they have done, the Government should give effeot to their deolslon forthwith. We hope that the representations wbloh the Chamber of Commerce yesterday resolved to make to the Minister of Marine will boar good fruit.