Correspondence.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 136, 20 April 1864, Page 4

Correspondence.

Our correspondence columns belli:? i![)lilirt iltliy (Jpen to all shades of opinion. it linisl be iiudcrsluuU lliut wo Uu uot Ideality ourselves Willi any <ji>iiiam& tlieieiu. HA I; BO UK IMPKOXEMEXTS. The Provincial Goveiisment, or a Private Company. To the Editor of the Xsw Zealand Herald. Shi, —An ill-natured and uiiirieudiy critic might he tempted to taunt the Aueklaudei-s with having more pretention tiian perlormunce; more lnllated tulle, and more ol ihi ir neighbours, than wn» either consonant wiln rigidly good tusle, or applicable by reason of any display oi leal Mipuiorily by Auckland ill public w oi'Ks, over these scli-samo neighbours, who are occasionally so slightingly spofven of or so patroni-singiy looked down upon, l'or instance, one ol her rivals whose uueriority she lrotn tune to time condescendingly i.oticos, ami most carefully, and no doubt very properly, sntibsa.i occasion may require, has all but snatched a grand prize iroin Auckland because she can offer moru accommodation to the Panama steamers than can the capital of Xeiv Zealand. The very thought of Wellington being made tho port of call tor these steamers sent the good people of Auckland into hysterics. But cai bono, what good of all this It U cllingtoii opt-us her eyes a little wilier, sees a little lurlher, displays more energy and enterprise in providing hotter accommodation lor snipping, tlum does Auckland, is it anything but natural tuut the advantages she has thus provided will give her an advantage over Auckland, and that the steam company win so naturally seek the port that oilers them tlie most accommodation for their Heel ol steamers. Auckland, Cannot, at present, supply the company with what is absolutely necessary lor them. Y> ould it not iook a great, deal more manly, ana more business nice for us to set vigorously to work, and in Inc nine tiiat is now given us Oelore this contract v.ill bo finally determined upon, provide, as far as energy and aidll and ehtorpiise can proviue, all that we aro now wanting to make Auck.and in every sense, tlie port witli luosl accommodation anu ollering moot advantages for these steamers. It she does this wo have tue authority oi t-'apt. Hall's letter lor believing that she will gam tlie disputed and much coveted prize; and once galheu, it wui be very difUcuit, unuer ordinary common sense lnanngouieut, to lake it lroui us. It should be the policy ol Auckland, if she be true to her own ihteiest, to take especial cure to distance all opposition as much as possible, m harbour and shipping matters, by having mole advantages to otlertliaii any other livals. True, that, " "I'is not in muruls to comumnd success. " llat waul U laeve, isou.i.ruuius, we U ilcacrve ll." And as sure as day lollows night, so sure, in all human probability, will Auckland iuunaxn.il sni-avt as a shipping port, ifjiist ihe icut only ih-sn ic it. tine has a noble heritage in tile splendid harbour of the Wailemata. Aalurc »iu> been most liberal m her bounty. Bill art, as yet, has uone very little lo make the most ol what liauuo has piuvmeu. Enterprise, skill, and capital ale reipured to develope the resources ot this rich heritage, to gather the wealth that richly lreignlcd ships n.ay yet boat into thu Bolt of Auckland. Commerce and capital are town sisters in their extreme sensitiveness. Tue atmosphere iillect-s not the barometer more surely than certain eireuuistances aQeet them. Political disturbance and civil commotion liightens capital away ; inierior accommodation and higii charges, as surely drive commerce awav ; and tins once done, experience proves tiiat it is about as easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle as to cliann the coy uumsel baci£ again. Hence the immense importance, under the ciieuinstanCes existing in this colony, oi every poit tiiat looks lorwaril to future extension, success, and property, being tiie lirst in the market, with good accommodation unshipping and every advantage thai can act an uu inducement lor vessels to give it pieleieiice over others. Every .ship that visits the haibour brings Willi it not only acaigo oi goods, but labour lor numerous persons and customers to our Miopa. Anu tue laborers and artisans, merchants and clerks, who aie thus given employment, consume largely ot tlie articles brought by the vessels, and so in tneir turn give employment lo these vessels. There is a compuisaloiy process in businci.-:, as in uatuic, an action and re-action constantly going on. The agriculturist, tlie stockowner, the coal-miner, and otheis, though engaged lar away, it may bu, iroin the ] oil that uius secures an extension of its commerce, will all be materially beiiclitted, as well as those most nearly afieeieo. But commerce, as lepiesented by shipping, has iiitlier been treated a.s if she were an unwelcome visitor to Auckland, bne has been snuobed and llltreated, ruthi-r than courted and caressed ; starved by bad management and poor accommodation, rather than bountilutly supplied wit h every appliance tnat would benelit her, and reacting, benefit us. It is quite clear, however, that there is now a rustling among the dry bones oi commercial and governmental iile. Whether it will end in those bones being clothed, and vigorous hie and healthy action being shown, is even yet not quite certain, 'liie subject, being a vitally important one, can lose nothing by being well vent dated ihrougn the Press. Granted that uoek accommodation—a term under wnieli, I will include every requirement lor snips, such as buoys lights, patent slips, graving docks lor repairs, Ale., —giantcd, I say, that largely increased accommodation is required, who is lo provide it r" The p''Wuis that be, or a private company r I must strongly advocate tiiat ine Provincial Government should provide it. iMy reasons wili be seen below. A conclusion on this important point should not he lightly arrived at. Let us iook at tho experience of oilier ports. 1 w iil lake tno two largest in the world ; IjOndou and .Liverpool, 'i'ney iiiusirute the two systems. The docKs oi London are, as a rule, tile properly oi private companies. It is quite evident that 11 is the interest of every private tonipany to gain as large a maig.n of profit a.-;possible to divide among its sliarehoaiers. Ihe good and weliare oi commerce is something in their e\r.-, l-ui oiay so lar as may ahect their diviu. nds. ll tiie.se can hy giving belter accommodation tor shipping, well and g'ood, give tno better accommodation ; out if not, way trouble about it r And it must be lemoiuocrcd that owners of docks have practically a monopoly in their hands, if Iney Heat you badh , you have not another shop oil Hie opposite side mo streel where j ou can fie dealt witn he-itcr. iiobsoh's choice or nunc. Take it or leave it—there it- is—and 1 detv you lo get anv oilier, it is a very unwise i.ni.g 1 lake u, io pin, u.c supply oi doiks, or oi gas and waler, in ti.e hands ol a private j company, 'tinae thicetinngs shounl l;e in the man- I itgenicni ot the ruling bod} , i.e 11 prov.uciai govern- | ha nt or eorporaiii.n I I »et us now look at the system adopted by Liverpoi 1 when it V.as as Aueklaiid how is—m its mlaiioy. !

iici coi ju.iKtiwi .-ceiu<.-il liic iukc-.-jiiuic i»n tiic ; t>l tjlt? JllVt'T \-,v \, ai»U Luiit li».T lijf-L | '.1 he.ie vcvc liumugcu by a board composed oi i member* of the coinpuiuiiun. Tiiey arc nuw | managed 1 iy Tiil-locs ui the .Mersey Lock AO.stale. j 'i lime trustees, or board, are part ui' Uiciu : elected by tu«.»i>c pen><»ns wjm pay docs rates on sliip- : pi)Ji£ and li.eicjia/niiije to a certain amount pur j annum. Part ol Uu-i.i arc* appointed by the i>oaru ol | 1 ratie. Ail persons paying - uock rales arc \olers in i tiic* election <ji i l uslec.>. Too ij ualiliea tiun tor j it IJolmv 'J i usUe is a bigner p:ivii.eiit ui rates m ihe j picutding- year, timii i., requisite lor an elector. A j JJock i'ru.>Lc«j until live seven miles ot the I 1)01-1. Having thus stilled the ruling power, I will now i pioceed to the mode in whieli the uoeks have been I i/uill and managed. Jfjiwl oL all thi»u Uoeks are not j surparised, il tatyurts appioaelifcd even, tu solitiit-y ol woik ana the provision of every mechanical ;md I otner contrivance: lor the accomodation a,id i speedy disciiiirge of shipping. They have not been j built by contract, but by their own lesidentengineer, a iii>t clusk man, with a salary of iilteen l.uudred a 1 year at present, They extend over live nwle.-i, and aie too small tor thepiesmt trade of tiie port, and aic consequently annu... 4 y heing extenued. Liv rpool whs u desoi.ite mora.->s lor centuries alter l}ri-nil and London were well known seai.ort ;omis—sho has leit tne one lar Ueiuiui ; anu ner tonnage, 0111111111' wasters, is greater than that of London. Her doclA uud dock wluirehouses on their margin lmve been

built by borrowed money. 'Tlie bonded debt of the Mersey Estate amounts to millions. Its annual income exceeds tnat of largo European sovereign states. The board advertises for loans of money for tiuee, live, or seven years, at an average of four or I'ntr and a quarter per cent, per annum. Its bonds are as good secuiitv as any ottered in the country, and it easily obtains all the money required. Tho amount it can hori'ow is fixed for cach new work by Act ot Parliament, and is borrowed on security of the dock rates payable by vessels and merchandize entering and leaving the harbour nml docks. 'l'Ue tiiiirc raniiwtj* of dock-s are upon thtm. A'ol a xlnyle prim;/ ijuvs into the poc/.rts (j blnn cholthvs. If the income exceeds the expenditure it is appropriated to paying oil a portion ol the bonded debt; or lo lowering the rates charged. Those rates were lowered in one year thirty-six thousand pounds, 'i'liis capacity ol securing tlie very best accomodation lor shipping at the lowest possible cost is one grand and main reason why she has distanced all other seaports in the kingdom. The Dock Board is composed of her most wealthy and respected merchants. Ttn;/ have t,o prirtttv tuth lo uu {lirtijiyittslud from those ttf' theymcrui pt'b/ic, am! htniv di/cct thtin best cntn'yUs to secztrt? the Uiryixt amount bf shipping lo visit thv port, by pruridiny the List possible ucvomodutio'ii ut the lownt c/iurije.

As it is always well, before commencing an undertaking, especially one of such a character as docks, Weigii well what has been done by others, especially of a Corporation, determine at once to commence tilO by those whose efforts have been attended by success, 1 have been purposely minute on this subject, and I would sum up as lollow.s

1. Let tlie Provincial Government, in the absence necessary works lor providing the best accomodation lor shipping visiting the port ; and not only for the present day, but tor what may reasonably be expected by the glowing requirements of the port lor the next tell or fifteen years. Let especial attention be given lo the requirements of steamers. Steam wili piny an increasingly important part in commercial shipping matters.

2. Borrow u huge portion of the money required in both small and large sums, on tho security oi the dock rates, and if necessary on the collateral security of the general provincial leveiiue —on tlie same principal tiiat Gloat Britain acts as collateral security lor many of her colonies. Give small capitalists., say possessing two hundred pounds or so, an opportunity of becoming creditors of the dock trust.

0. Let all the earnings of the docks be spent entirely in paying expenses of management, intere.-t on bonded debt; and then in it-deeming a part ol that debt, or in lowering the lutes charged, when practicable. 1. Let every person paying a certain amount of dock laies be entitled to vole in the election of a member ol tile board. Let menthol's of the board have a higher qualification than an elector, that is, let theiii be those who have paid in the preceding year a larger sum ill dock rates. o. The Provincial Government to nominate, say one-fourth, of the members of the board of management. 0. A portion of the board to retire annually by rotation. I.'espectively eommending these thoughts and suggestions Uj those whom they may concern, i have, etc., Delta.