Taranaki Harbor, from an Opunake Point of View.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1668, 6 July 1887, Page 2

Taranaki Harbor, from an Opunake Point of View.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Oh, dear ! how much the founders of the New Plymouth Harbor have been blessed during the last few days ! Could they have had a glimpse of the present hour and heard the blessings uttered for their precious souls and bodies, they would have feared and quaked excet dingly. The New Plymouth Harbor Board has struck a rate of t<l in the £ ! Ratepayers whose names begin with A, B, or C havi« been recipients of the welcome news of a levy by the patent money extractor; the D's, E's, and F's, and all others are working themselves up to a desirable boiling point in anticipation of soon receiving the welcome notice."* Don't i\\ny wish they had the chance of scalding someone ! If they do not get the chance with the guilty, 'he innocent will most likely suffer. The Taranaki News recently published an nrticle (reproduced by the Star), setting forth the benefits which the district had derived through the New Plymouth Harbor, which was no doubt read by many persons. There is no question that the arguments used are correct, so far as concerns New Plymouth itselt and a certain portion of the outl3 f ing districts, but they are altogether astray, so far as regards this district. It requires no great stretch of imagination to understand that New Plymouth and immediate districts have benefited mainly by the expenditure at the Sugiir Loaves which has been going on for &PVPU vcirs ; nnd it is those who have benefited most in the first instance will, now and in future benefit, most by pioximity to the works, thus being in a position to make use ot it to their own benefit. Such arguments (of the News) cannot apply to_a district situate as this iR, which i.s too far distant to benefit directly, and indirectly only very slightly, through the existence of .such works. The town district of Opunake will nlooe contribute about £90 m rates at jd in the £, ami it is only reasonable to nsk what corresponding benefit do the ratepayers receive ? If tho payment of extra charges and an increased price of goods is a benefit, then certainly the New Plymouth Harbor is an advantage to the district, that is in the event of nil the shipping being done tlirom>li (he breakwater. It will thus be scgu tliat it settlers heie are compelled to use the breakwater not only must a rate bo paid but the necessaries of hie will be ileuror, and the extra charges upon tl:e shipping of produce consequent on 39 miles ot haulage bj' road will lower the price of settlers' produce; and not only will his produce net him less but he will also have to pay more for every article not proJuceil in the immediate district which he requires. Benefits with a vengeance ! The most equitable arrangement respecting the production of revenue by the Harbor Board seems to be the imposition of higher charges, which would be paid by those who use the breakwater most and who have so far benefitted the most on account of the expenditure. Taking the figures published in the News, the net exports and imports at the breakwater last year amounted to 10,079 tons. A lauding charge of 2s6tl per ton, in addition to the present rate, would give, in round numbers, £1259. This increase should be allowed to ratepayers situate in outlying districts, and would be equal to the levying pf a deferential rate. As it now is, the outlying settlers are called on to pay heavily to benefit those who have the work at their doors with the advantages already possesed of light charges. * July 2.