PORT OF WANGANUI.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 303, 18 November 1930, Page 9

PORT OF WANGANUI.

THE HARBOUR QUESTION. Per Press Association. WANGANUI, Nov. 17 -% Matters of vital concern to Wanganui and district, of which the city is the economic centre, were raised in a discussion at a meeting of the Harbour Board to-day. A debate on the loan proposals opened up two avenues of future policy, namely, should there continue with consequent heavy expenditure a policy of development to berth big overseas liners, or had the board reached a period when there should be an overhauling of its basic aims with regard to a deep sea harbour ? .... There was nothing definite before the meeting, but the debate was precipitated by a statement by the deputy'chairman, Mr P. Higginbottom, advocating minor expenditure on moles to bring them to a proper state of repair and the shelving of the major loan proposal of £200,000. • The chairman, Mr J. T. Hogan, saw no reason why the present policy of the board should be altered, but like every other member he agreed that this was not the time to ask the ratepayers to sanction a big loan. Though no motion was carried, the discussion revealed that several members subscribed to Mr Higgfnbottom’s view and Mr Donald Ross thought that Wanganui should forget at least for 20 years the ambition to bring roadstead boats into the wharves.