CONTROL OF THE MANUKAU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13672, 13 February 1908, Page 7

CONTROL OF THE MANUKAU.

Sir,—ln your issue of to-day (February 8) there appears a letter from Mr. J. M. Mennie, referring to mine in your issue of January 22, both under tho above beading. He questions the right of the .people resident in the Manukau district to control the harbour which is situated within its own boundaries. In answer to my assertion that it is the natural right of the Manukau district to have control of its own harbour, Mr. Mennie asks, "What do. I mean by this? Is it that the Manukau Harbour belongs to the few peoplo who live on its shores?" Now, I never intimated anything of tho kind, so why does he ask such a foolish question? I referred all through to the .whole Manukau district, each section of which would have the right to elect its own representative or representatives—in proportion to its population—on the proposed Manukau Harbour Board. This is the second time I have had to protest against Mr. Mennie's trick of assuming that my letter means contrary to what it plainly states. If there is any'value in his argument that because he thinks the people on the Waitemata side provide about ninetenths of the goods and passengers for tho Onehunga vessels (which is absurdly incorrect) ho might just as well, on the same ground want Auckland, to control the harbour of New Plymouth and all the West Coast ports. I gave mavy sound reasons in my letter as to why the Manukau district should control its own harbour, none of which Mr. Mennie has even referred to. Mr. Mennie's imaginary dog is without tail, as Auckland has not yet got its tail (the Manukau Harbour) to wag. A dog in the manger would have been a much more appropriate simile, as Auckland has never done anything to unite the two harbours, J. E. Tavlob.