THE GOVERNMENT & THE HARBOUR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 5 March 1912, Page 4

THE GOVERNMENT & THE HARBOUR

ANOTHER SET BACK. IT is satisfactory to observe that the Harbour Board has realized its responsibilities, that it has grasped the gravity of the present postion, and has therefore decided to proceed with the dredging work that is so urgently required. Mr

Duncan, in a carefully prepared address, brought out the main facts of the cade,

.and, with the exception, of a Government nominee, the Board, adopted his motion. We have already dealt at some length with the present lequkemnus of the port. au<] have gone fully into the question of ilia direct {shipment trade, and repetition is ■unnecessary here. It will he remembered that Mr. Duncan's motion contained a proviso which was to the effect that the dredging be gone- on with provided the Government attended to the berthage dredging.' -And at. th e *ame meeting a letter was read from th e Hun. J. A. .Millar to the eti'ect that because only fivo ocean liners vi.-ited the peri durintr the year the work was not warranted. We arc afraid the Minister has had his mind rather unsettled by th a closeness of the- no-confidence division, and has not given the matter adequate attention. When he comes to go into the question again he will doubtless see that it is the fact that th e dredging both at the berthage and also on the mud bank has not been done, i s responsible for only five ocean vessc-ls visiting Nelson during the year. It is to be hoped that the Government will go carefully into this matter, for its present action may greatly hamper the -progress of the district. We feel that when the deputation puts the matter clearly before the Minister, he will realize that it is his own action that it largely responsible for the fact that "during the year only five ocean-going steamers had visited the port." It is the old question of the dual control of the port. Nelson should not be placed in the p -sition of being continually forced to u uo cap in liand to a, Minister to obtain that which she is obviously entitled to, and that which, if the Government wouid only give over the control, she is orepared to pay tor.