NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VIII, Issue 1354, 9 July 1886, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR

SECOND READING OF THE LOAN

BILL CARRIED.

(by telegraph.)

(FROM OUU OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

WELLINGTON, July 7.

The discussion on the second reading of the New Plymouth Harbor Loan Bill was resumed this afternoon.

Mr. Sutter hoped tbe House would allow the Bill to pass.

Mr. Peacock thought the House should not take it fur grouted that such measures ought to be allowed to pas 3. The time would come when tbe land fund would cease, and weight ought to be given to the fact that tbe taxation whs very heavy. The matter required to be looked into minutely.

The amendment to read the Bill that day six months was lost.

On tbe motion for the second reading, Mr. Brycc said that this was a matter of colonial concern. In a case of this kind the burden laid upon the promoters of the Bill, and they should give very good proof for the necessity of borrowing, and he did not think that had been done. The trade of the district was not large, and there were two hai bors. He considered that there was ample accommodation foi all tbe present trade ivquiipments. Ultimately, no doubt, there would be a, laige trade spring up, but that was in tbe distant future, and need not now be considered. The boundaries of tbe district did not appear satisfactory. It was not fair to tax the people round about Waitara for a barbor f>r New Plymouth because the Waitara people had a harbor of thrir own, which they desired to develop. He thought it would be better to have the matter put off for ii time.

Mr. Turubull 6uid if they refused the Bill it would do a great injury to the district. If the woik could not be completed the whole thing might be thrown upon the Government. He was opposed to all new jvoiks of this kind, but he would support the completion of this one.

Mr. G. Richardson said there could be no ieason for excluding Hawera and tbe land about Opunake from taxation for the loan. Looking to the very large amount of money that had been spent on the work, they would have to draw the line between caution and expediency. He was not certain that if the work was carried out as proposed it would not be necessary to carry on dredging, and that tbe bill did not provide for. He would vote for the second reading, but considered certain amendments Bbould bo made in the bill.

Mr. Montgomery said it was probable that this woik would ultimately bo thrown upon the culony, aud it behoved the House to carefully consider whether there should be a further loan sanctioned.

Mr. Uolleston said he would like not to vote on this bill, but as it was desirable ho slinuld vote, he would give his vote against the bill, on the ground that tßuruwiag Cur such works was a. colonial concern, and m>t a matter of local concern. He did nut think the colony was entitled to increased indebtedness when there was not a. prospect of tbe district benefited being ablo to meet the charge out of local revenue. Me did not think New Plymouth could bear further taxation. Ho thought tbe New Plymouth people ought now to stay their hand in regard to the haibor works.

Mr. Samuel said Colonel Trimble had unearthed all the skeletons of the past in dealing with the bill, but had not made out a case against the bill. The lion, gentleman had wilfully blinded himself wiib reg.ird to the evidence given in committee. The £60,000 was desired to make useful the work on which £200,000 had already been spent. Tbe money was not required to carry out the plan of Sir John Coodc or to make a harbor of refuge. That would cojie in time. But the money now required was for the purpose of euabling vessels to come to the breakwater with safety. As to Colonel Trimble's assertion about the imports and exports, that gentleman bad not taken the figures for the present year, which showed a very different I

I lesult in regard to New Plymouth from that stated by the hon. gentleman. He bad nothing to say agaiust the Waitara. It was a very useful little river, but conld not be made serviceable for vessels of the pize of the Hawea and Penguin. The reference to the certificate about the Clansman -trading between Waitara nnd Syduey was a misrepresentation He read a telegram from the captain of the Gaiiloch stating that she had been detained in the Waitara river owing to want of water, aud had consequently misaed the Sydney steamer. With regard to the export of butter last year, the export had amouuted to £71,000. Had that gone direct to Sydney, there would have been a saving of Id per lb, or 19000 ; sufficient I to pay three times the iuterest on the loan. He accused Colonel Trimble of want of candour and reliability respecting the revenue of the Harbor Board. Tlie revenue hud very largely increased during the last n've years, but the hou. gentleman took good care to conceal that fact froizj the House. The reserves, too, woulj soon briu# in a large revenue. He believed that the increased value iv pro perty would in a few years reduce the amount of the rate. He accused the Col. of having been put up by large land holdeis to oppose the bill. He hoped the House would give the people the right of saying whether they would raise this money, if ihey should consider it necessary in the iuteieetsof the district. The second reading was agreed to by 89 to 13. The Bill was oidered to be committed that day week. The following is the division li6t : — Ayes: Ballance, Bevau, BradshaighBradshaw, Brown, Cowan, Duncan, Garnck, Gore, Grace, Guinness, Hatch, Hislop, Hobbs, Ivess, Joyce, Kerr, Lance, Larnach, Levestam, Mackenzie, M. J. S. McKenzie, J. Newman, O'Connor, Pearson, Piatt, Reese, Reid, E. Richardson, G. F. Richardson, Ross, Russell, Samuel, Smith, Steward, Stewart, Stout, Sutler, Taylor, Tole. Noes : Btuce, Bryce, Buchanan, Cotmolly, Hursthonse, Macandrew, Montgomery, Moss, Ormond, Rolleeton, Thompson, J. W., Thompson, J., Trimble.