The Star. (published daily.)

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume X, Issue 1916, 28 April 1888, Page 2

The Star. (published daily.)

SATURDAY, APEIL 28, 1888.

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

Mit. Blackett's report on the New Plymouth Harbor confirms the worst suspicions and corroborates the most alarming reports of serious injury to the Taranaki Harbor having been done by sand accumulation. It also proves to be entirely wrong those who averred that the accumulation of sand on the inner face of the mole did not extend more than 20 feet out from the structure. There were also some who pretended that there was little or no difference between the depth of water off the end of the breakwater as it now is and as it was prior to the erection of the mole. We have from time to time expressed grave doubts as to the accuracy of those who so boldly contradicted evidence which, to the ordinary observer with eves to

see, appeared incontrovertible. Mr. Blackett's report has cleared away any doubts which those who wished well to the Taranaki Harbor may still have had on the matter. The whole of the southern or outer side of the breakwater has sanded up to an enormous extent. On the inner side there is one bank of sand 900 feet long and from 70 to 100 feet wide, and a sandspit or bar 450 feet long has formed off the end or point of the breakwater. Permanent injury has been done to the harbor, and new works to the extent of .£78,000, to combat the sand rather than to improve the harbor, are recommended by Mr. Blackett. He mildly suggests that the Harbor Board " still has ,£IB3B, which might be expended so as to mitigate an evil which threatens to annihilate a harbor already of considerable service to a large number of settlers. Those who have for years been predicting the failure of the Taranaki Harbor should feel satisfied at last. But to those who may not havo a full or long acquaintance with New Plymouth Harbor matters, we may explain that little or no danger from drift sand was antiti-

pated until some two years ago; even then the risk was held to be remote. "While rumors of the instability of the work were numerous, no one a year or two ago seemed to think there was the least likelihood of the breakwater acting as a gigantic reclamation wall to be filled in a year or two with sand on the outer side, and that thereafter the inner side or harbor itself should be threatened with a like fate. These works afford another proof of the truth of the axion admitted by all, even marine engineers, that when man endeavors to control the ocean, his best efforts and most carefully laid plans may be frustrated by forces entirely beyond his powers to restrain. Water-borne drift- sand was an enemy no one spoke of or feared during the first five years of the harbor work. Windborne drift-sand proved a serious and expensive drawback to the work when it first started, until the sand drifts were checked by the planting of many acres of creeping sand-grass and of ice-plant. Settlers throughout the district will, we doubt not, agree with us in thinking that the impending, or at least threatened failure, of a bold and enterprising undertaking is a matter for sincere and deep felt regret. The practical, question now is " what's to be done ? " New Zealanders, and more especially IN T ew Plymouth folk, would be the last to acknowledge irretrievable defeat. They are sure to have another shot at the enemy no matter what the ultimate result may be. Some £220,000 (adopting Mr. Blackett's figures) has been sunk in the work, and those who benefit by it will not sit idly by when it is threatened with inquiry or destruction. Judging by the annual accounts of the Harbour Board, just published, we fail to see where Mr. Blackett's £1800 is to come from. On December 31 the Harbor Board had, exclusive of tbe trust account, only £1648, and that sum has in all probability been largely encroached upon since. The special harbor rate only brought in, up to March 31, £2759, land revenue amounted to .£5649, which, though better than in 1886, is still far below the £12,000 a year required to pay interest on loan. Last year the Board appears to have supplemented revenue from Crown lands and from rates by a vote of £2000 from general account in order to pay the £12,000 interest to bond-holders. During the coming year there will be no such fund at their disposal. The financial outlook seems just about as bad for the Board as the bond-holder and the land owner as it is possible to be, but help has been promised, and is now being planned, to remedy that evil. But to cope with water-borne drift sand if present in large quantities would necessitate the employment of much labor and the further expenditure of large sums. In the present temper of Parliament, retrenchment rather than additional expenditure may be looked forward to. Further rating powers over lands adjacent to the harbor itself would bring in no more than is now collected, and additional rating on lands not adjacent to the harbor is not to be thought of. The Harbor Board and the harbor are both in a tight place. He who could devise and secure efiicacious and acceptable means to relieve the Taranaki harbor of its sand, the Harbor Board of ita financial troubles, and the harbor ratepayers of their special rate would be welcomed at the present time as heartily as if he were an angel from above.