NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR WORKS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1757, 18 October 1887, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR WORKS.

To the Editor of the Star.

Sir, — No doubt the following facts will prove interesting to your readers, now that the district is disturbed by the late rate struck by the New Plymouth Harbor Board. I will not go into a 'ong detail of how the money has been wasted in the past — it would be useless now — but I think the ratepayers should see that the money is not wasted in front of their eyes at the present time. With reference to the late meeting, not a word appeared in the local papers with regard to the break, or rather division of the breakwater — there is a gf p about 12ft wide and 15ft deep more than half way across the wall, and if the present gale continues ruuch longer, the gap will be right across. The hole was made about three or four weeks ago and has been getting bigger ever since. How is it that nothing has been said about it in either of the paper 3? Another thing: the dredger — Mr. Rhind's hobby, or the Harbor Board's white elephant, the vessel that was to do wonders, dredjje saod and tender vessels in rough weather. A splendid idea of the Engineer's ; yes, now the board are begioing to fiml that she is useless ; that the}' have been led by the nose by the " Engineer." Yes, I confidently assert that the " thing " upon which ni#h .£3OOO have been spent ia absolutely useless, both for towing, tendering or di edging. In the first instance she is so unwieldy that if there i 9 much of a breeze blowing it is as much as she can do to steam against it alone. In the second instance, for tendering in rough weather the bumping and thumping etc. would loosen the rivets — then, again, she being unwieldy in fine weather, what would she be in rough? As to the last instance ; she can make two trips a day, and then fahe is not filled, besides the sand runs back to the holes as fast as they take it out. I think. Bir, that you will agree that to have a large iron tub anchored out in the haibor is not a nice thing for the visitors to the breakwater to look at and say " Waste of mouey." They have put the B.s. Moturoa ou the wall. What for ? For sale ! The only useful thing that the board have got, now that the works are stopped, and it is for sale. Another of the board's mistakes I They think that the steamers can come alongside the wharf to discharge cargo in any weather. I say that they cannot, nor never will be able to. For instance, the Wanaka had to pass on twice in one week, north-west gale ; 6he could come near the wall, but to lie alongside the wharf never ! If the tug bad been in use, at least the passengers and their luggage might have been landed. Grand Administration. On the subject of passengers. Isn't it a nice thing for ladies to have to crawl down a perpendicular ladder into a surfboat ? And then they are to do without the boatmen when the wharf is built I Well, we shall see. There have been several narrow squeaks for those poor boatmen. I suppoee they don't do work equivalent for their money, and either the engineer or the boatman must go. Poor boatmen 1 In conclusion I beg of you to publish this, as, though a poor advocate myself, some more learned of my fellow ratepayers may ferret out the truth, and lay bare the way in which their money has been scent. — I am, &c, One who has worked on the works from the commencement.

P.S. — Mr. Rhind says that he is not in the habit of letting his men loaf. Have not the lour gangers been kept on at work (supposed to be working, rather) when all the men have been sent home ? On wet weather these four and two divers sit around the stove in the divers' shed ; mind, all the rest of the out-door men have been sent home. Now, why should these " gangers " be kept out there whe» their men had gone home? Isn't that lonfing ? They got from 10s to 12s a clay. With regard to the gap, about 40 or 50 feet past that, near the end, there are five blocks all taking a tilt outwards. Oh, it's nothing ! Mr. Rhind says ; it is all right. So it must be — thus says tbe the board.