HARBOUR INVESTIGATORS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume III, Issue 189, 26 July 1913, Page 6

HARBOUR INVESTIGATORS.

-;•> the ti-;r.EE Sir,—“Reclamation ’’ can rest assured that Napier existence is not in any way prejudical to the growth of Hastings, but the growth of Hastings is proving very prejudicial ro Napier. Most people in Hastings know that Napier is on the map, and that it has two alleged harbours, a mountainous municipal debt, and a member of Parliament who travels in white top-hats and brown Windsor soap—otherwise Napier is not ot much interest to the people of the City of the Plains. ‘ Reclamation 0 is apparently under the impression that harbour construction necessarily means the squandering of loan moneys in Napier, for the benefit of Napier tradesmen, which is the only result of 30 years of futile attempts. To investigate the Kidnappers scheme (at our own expense) may be a crime in the byes of a Napier resident, but I will risk being charged in Hastings with committing an offence. The increase in the size of modern liners means that a harbour to accommodate them must have 40 feet of water—an impossibility in Napier, but not at the Kidnappers. When the doubtful problem in connection with the Inner Harbour scheme is removed apart from the fact that dredging alone (according to Keele and Cullen) is going to bite £9ouu out of the revenue, I will be pleased to support it. In the meantime, it is beginning to look like a good business proposition to leave Napier to build its own harbour (as many as it jolly well likes), and go on with the Kidnappers. I am not pledged to oppose any party, as stated by -‘Reclamation 1 ’ except it be the ’Red Feds.,’’ and they are not building anything at present, they are just pulling things down.—-I am. etc.. 1.. W. FOWLER.

TO THE EDITOR3j r ._ij r . McCarthy draw- attention to Mr. Fowler s admission tnnt the breakwater at the Kidnappers ■.••■-■aid require pirn r-ction from < iy and north-easterly winds. Even so. it doe? not I 'necessarily fo. ; that a mere impression of Mrdefinitely settles such ar mq.ortant point. Mr. Fowler's cor iessmris are not of rhe common gaid?n variety r.t all- and in fact they

ahiiciit rival Topsy s, whom you remember sir, felt she ought to 'fess something even when there was nothing to fess. The "two-mile tunnel” illusion has long since been dispelled.—a veiy prominent engineer after traversing the country having given it as his opinion that there were no especially difficult features in the route to the Kidnappers harbour site and that a railway can be put in at a reasonable cost. In the meantime I arn prepared to venture the opinion, backed as it is by a study of the plans and soundings, by several visits to the locality, with different seas running, by a crossexamination of those people who have fairly haunted the locality, and have had to rely on this harbour to get ashore in all kinds of weather, that there is already a harbour there where the largest vessels that visit New Zealand waters can anchor secure in any weather should it come in hurricane force from any point of the compass mentioned by Mr. McCarthy. A harbour in which such vessels could berth comfortably if only wharf accommodation were provided. Behind the Black Reef breakwater is a mile of water ranging from 52 feet (at low water) at the entrance of the harbour to 15 feet close into the cliff. These are the depths undredged on sandy bottom at low water. "Reclamation’s’’ letter is not worth a reply. If he will reveal his name no doubt we shall recognise in it the name of a great genius of the Inner Harbour party, and it will be clear to everyone why his position is becoming so uncomfortable. Anyway let me tell Air. Ostrich with his head in the "Reclamation" that hysteria is a dangerous symptom If he has any acceptable reason for witholding his name it would be ad visable to let us have it. Lt is not wry manly to say incan things from the shelter of a nom de plume.—l am. etc.. G. SPENCER CLAPHAM. Julv 26th. 19)3.