Mangomu Harbour

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 52, 28 September 1934, Page 9

Mangomu Harbour

Sir, —It seems a great opportunity to the people of the Eastern area of the Mangonui county to forward the prospects of their district by getting together and forming a Harbour Board to control the destinies of their harbour.

The County Council lias done yeoman service in the past and we should be grateful for their really good work. At the same time it seems rather an anomaly for a County Council mostly representing Western interests, to have control of this great harbour, especially as many of them are interested in the forwarding of the interests of A wanui port. Undoubtedly Mangonui harbour is the best harbour in the Mangonui county. There can be no argument about that. Mangonui is only about 22 miles by road from Kaitaia, and that distance can be still further reduced by, instead of going right to Awanui, cutting through in a more direct route from a point on the Mangonui-Awanui roai. So far as my information goes it is possible to shorten the distance by at least another five or six miles. This would, in my opinion, go a Jong way in unifying the interests of both areas of the county. Nothing can prevent the eventual greatness of the Mangonui harbour, and it behoves the people whose interests are bound up with the progress of this port to rise and attend to their business of seeing that their port takes its rightful place. From reports in your valuable paper it would appear that the Awanui is likely to be a constant source of expense and trouble to those using it. There is a possibility of the Mangonui county taking the same, course of action as several other counties, which have abolished riding accounts, and thus people living in one part of the county will of necessity become liable for expenditure from which they derive no benefit. This would apply to our harbour and also to Awanui port. The Eastern area could be taxed for the benefit of Awanui port. At the same time they can derive not one penny from such expenditure. Of course the case could be turned the other way. But in the case of A wanui there would be recurring expenditure (vide your paper reports) while in the case of Mangonui there is now a good harbour and the only extra expense incurred would be maintenance and possibly an extension, if required. Personally I am not interested in the parochialism of either Mangonui or Kaitaia. I am of the opinion that for the

progress of both places and the whole -county they should work together. Possibly that is a little bit too much to expect yet, but it must and will eventuate whether the present generation likes it or not. Meantime let Mangonui people wake up and get to work. It may mean a trifle more rates but you can't get anything for nothing. Hoping this matter will be taken up keenly and enthusiastically, Yours, etc., COMMON SENSE.