THE H.B. TRIBUNE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1929 THE OFFICIAL CLOG

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 281, 12 November 1929, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1929 THE OFFICIAL CLOG

It is now a full six months since the last election of members of the Napier Harbour Board took place. The results of that election left no possible doubt as to what were the wishes of the electors with regard to the policy the new Board should pursue. There was a very clear indication given that, instead of the stagnation of years that had resulted from partisan divisions and obstructions within the Board itself, there should be some purpose of early accomplishment in the way of harbour development. As yet the expectant public has been able to see but scant evidence of their expectations being fulfilled. They will perhaps remember that the new Board, at its first meeting, passed a resolution to apply for the ministerial and departmental authority that circumstances had made it necessary for it to secure before it could move towards carrying out the unequivocal behests of the electors. They may also remember that this resolution was carried with only one dissentient voice—raised, of course, from Napier. Probably beyond this they will have noted little of what has been passing and have simply wondered why no practical outcome of their so emphatic decision has made its appearance. Only those who have more closely followed the reports of proceedings at the Board’s meetings will have realised that the responsibility for delay does not lie with the Board. From these reports, however, it is to be gathered that the Board lost no time in laying before the Minister and his departmental officers details of the work which it proposed to undertake forthwith, along with its formal application for authority to raise the necessary loan. There was no delay on the Board’s part beyond what was unavoidable for the preparation of the plans and genera] specifications required by the Department. Looking back over our files, we find that early in September the chairman spoke of these data as having been submitted two months earlier, that would be in July. But some further details were asked for, and these had been at once supplied. From that point onwards the delay—extending over at least three months —has been attributable solely to the Minister or his Departmental officers, despite frequent reminders from this end. It cannot but he thought that there is something more than mere neglect behind this practically obstructive atti tude, and that there are influences at work which may require active combating if the wishes of the electors are to carry weight. It is, in the first place, not to bo forgotten that at the seat of government we have an exceedingly influential body, in the shape of the Wellington Harbour Board, which is frankly set upon stifling Hawke’s Bay aspirations for a decent harbour of its own. Day in and day out, by every possible means to be made available, this body has been pressing for the adoption of a policy of centralisation of oversea shipping in the four main ports—with Wellington, of course, in particular view. This body has the outstanding

advantage of being continually at the elbow of those in authority. Despite the assurances six months ago given by the Prime Minister to the contrary, it is difficult to .escape a growing conviction that the otherwise unwarrantable delay in approving the Napier Board’s proposals is in large measure due to these influences. Beyond this, we all know, of course, that among the officers of the Department itself there are those who have expressed themselves as in virtual agreement with the policy of the Wellington Harbour Board, and who are in no way friendly disposed towards Hawke’s Bay ambitions. In addition to this there is, too, a Railway Department which is particularly anxious to gather all possible subjects of transport into its own hands, and which sees in the development of a harbour for Hawke’s Bay some sort of menace to its purpose. It seems very evident, therefore, that if Hawke’s Bay people want to have their desires carried out there will require to be some concerted measures taken for applying some countervailing pressure. All present indications would seem to point to their being persistently subjected to delays that are designed to sicken them of the job they wish to see undertaken.