THE HARBOR INQUIRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 35, 11 August 1880, Page 3

THE HARBOR INQUIRY.

The following report was brought up by the Chairman of the Public Petitions Committee in the House of Representatives. The report from the committee in the Legislative Council has not yet been published: — "The committee has taken the allegations of the petitioners into consideration, and obtained the advice of the law officers of the Crown; and it appears that if the New Plymouth Harbor Board is expending its funds contrary to the provisions of the Harbor Act, 1878, or any special Act affecting the Board, the petitioners can obtain redress in the Supreme Court. As the law provides a remedy for the grievance complained of by the petitioners, the committee cannot recommend the House to take any special action in the matter of the petition."

The Taranaki News says :—" Discomfiture has fallen on the ranks of the harbor obstructionists, and their forensic champion has learned that accusations and informations as to the breaking of the laws should be kid before a court of judicature and not before the Legislature. Our opponents have now an opportunity of entering an action at law against us, and we are quite ready for martyrdom ; but they must be brisk in their operations if they hope to succeed, for in a few days the Governor in Council will probably give his assent to the concrete section, and then their chances of success will be reduced to a minimum."

The Taranaki Herald says :— " The bitter jealousy with which little places regard burger ones is a curious feature in colonial life. In Taranaki we find the outlying districts to the south of us have a grievance, and of late they appear to be never tired of expatiating on our wickedness in attempting to build a harbor near New Plymouth. From the remarks of speakers at public meetings, and the complaints made through the local paper, we should infer that they consider our harbor will be a great drawback to the district— that it will be a stumbling-block in the path of progress — and that if the settlers could by any means ■top the work, that their district would gain immensely. They look upon a harbor being built at New Plymouth as an injustice to themselves, and appear to think that the money spent upon the undertaking as so much taken from them by the selfishness of the people at this end of the district. Local jealousies of this kind are so small and contemptible that we feel surprised they should be prevalent amongst sensible people. It is no slight obstacle to the prosperity of a district when settlements in it are always standing in an attitude of antagonism towards each other. The interests of the New Plymouth and Hawera settlers are so identical that we were at a loss to know why the latter should suddenly show a desire to Btop the building 1 of a. harbor here; bnfc tre learn it motives, and not from any desire to benefit the district. Tne history of this opposition to our harbor is soon given. About a month since a meeting was- called at Hawera for the. " purpose of discussing the injustice under which the district labored in consequence of the twenty-five per cent, of its land fund having to go towards the construction of a harbor at New Plymouth." As is usual on such occasions, those who spoke appear to be very little acquainted with- the matter they had met to discuss ; but at the , termination of the meeting, it was decided that petitions for presentation to both Houses of Parliament should be drawn Up and' signed. This was accordingly done ; and a gentleman sent to Wellington for the purpose o| jdyocatinpf the cause, and .getting"'^ pietftjojpflrs' prayer

granted if possible/ We regrefc ctar Patea friends should have becomfrjfc? antagonistic to the construction of a harbor at New Plymouth, because from such a work |;hey must derive great benefit; whilst on the other haud, shoi-11 taxation of the settlers be deemed necessary, they will be exempted. They have all to gain and nothing to losej and therefore the action taken by them in the matter cannot be to the interests of the community."