A LIVE ISSUE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 83, 20 March 1934, Page 6

A LIVE ISSUE.

Mr. A. E. Jull, an ex-chairman and present member of the Napier Harbour Board, did well yesterday in correcting through our columns any misapprehension that may have arisen from a statement unguardedly made by the chairman of the Hawke’s Bay County Council. In his enthusiasm for the advancement of the Breakwater construction project, Mr. Logan allowed himself to indicate that the idea of ever going on with the Inner Harbour had been “unanimously” abandoned by the Board. This, of course, was a quite mistaken impression to convey, and very much more mistaken would it be if applied to those whom certain members of the Board are supposed to represent. As a matter of fact, the possibilities of the Inner Harbour have never since the earthquake been given any consideration by those at present in majority and authority on the Board. Their cue has, of course, been to promote the Breakwater scheme by entirely ignoring the Inner Harbour and spreading the impression that it is a dead issue. Their first step in this direction was in securing to make their report an engineer who was already very deeply committed in the one direction. There was thus very little risk taken as to how his report would shape. So, until we have some competent and entirely unprejudiced report, the Inner Harbour must still be regarded as a practicable project, probably quite as little affected as the Breakwater by the earthquake. This, it may be said at once, is at any rate the opinion of more than one practical man of experience in matters of the kind. It is, of course, the fear that this would be upheld upon dispassionate investigation that makes the present Board in such a desperate hurry to force its plans upon the district. As Mr. Jull has intimated, there is really no such urgency as to justify this haste, if only the Board would devote itself, at very little expense, to restoring and maintaining the facilities that have served quite well for so many years. This is certainly no time for embarking on a doubtful scheme that will impose another half-million liability upon the ratepayers.