The N.Z. Times TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1908. THE PORT OF LONDON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6488, 7 April 1908, Page 4

The N.Z. Times

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1908. THE PORT OF LONDON.

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The' Sill for' tie establishment of a new local authority with jurisdiction enough to extend and oonsolida/te the trade facilities of the port of London ir one of the many proofs of,, the fact that Mr Lloyd-George, generally succeeds in the things he undertakes; In fact, it seems to be true that the Cabinet of which Mr Lloy/1-George is a member contains a large, percentage of that class of man. ' Iteformers who want something more •‘than thO platitudes of speech hare noticed the fact With some evidence of hopefulness already. For the moment, indeed, the Welshman is bracketed with the introducer of another, Successful measure, Air Birred, who liars just astonished the world by producing a University Bill acceptable to aid the talents of Ireland, and acclaimed,. Are these two Bills stepping-stones to greater things ? It is not the first time, of course, that local government has come to the front in Britain. But this particular form of tini principle is rare in the country of John Bull. In this Dominion it has been in familiar operation for a quarter of a century, with very groat benefit. The Dominion long ago solved the problem of compromising together all interests’ in districts which owe their boundaries to nature and their business to mankind at larp/o. What strikes one as particularly wonderful in this instance of sadden application is the success with which the support has been obtained of 'All the vested interests affected. Obtaining the signatures of Maori owners Of a remote block of land ought to bo child’s play to this wholesale capture of the great dock interests. The fact that the dock representatives WOre all unanimous is a strong proof of the tact ttnd prudence of the Minister. The difficulty of getting this unanimity of assent is, perhaps, the reason why .the of the longwanted port of London was delayed so long, Now„iJiat it has been brought ahOutf-She is at liberty to look round ■find realise the probable effects. The first batch will comprise cheapness of handling 0"f traffic, greater speed 1 of transit, le- 53 waiting, and vastly-in-vreased comfort and convenience all round. The second batch pertains to war. Once the hew basin is shut off from the open waters no fleet will be able to repent the feat of the Dutch squadron which sailed up the Thames to the bombardment of the pert of London.

To the dependencies of the Flmpire the change is truly welcome, especially as it is not the first or the only change of the kind made of late years. Manchester, Cardiff, and Bristol hare all established vast consolidated facilities of harbour work, with such good

results that the port of London has beorv forced to come into the lino of competition on pain of being left behind in the race. For the dependencies h the joy of receiving. One representative of a self-governing dependency has raised the question of giving the outliers of the Empire special representation on the new Harbour Board. It is difficult to understand on what ground. The nominated morfxhers represent the Admiralty, the Trinity House, the London Corporation, the London County Council, and the Board of Trade. These are all specially interested in the defence of the country, in its trade, in the well-being of the population affected by Hie new authority and its powers. But the dependencies are affected only as traders, and their traders will have their share of representative power (fourteen members.in all) by the ordinary process of election by qualified persons. The Dominion is not likely to refuse any advantage of this kind that may he offered in due course. But no one is likely to claim such a thing, still less to make the want of it a grievance or an injustice. Looking at the thing broadly, one sees that the improvements of the harbour of London must vastly simplify the problem before the trading communities whoso principal work is the handling of colonial-grown produce. There must, it is now evident, soon bo a better possibility of overcoming the vis inertiae so long entrenched in the midst of pampered interests. That is where the opportunity of the Dominion and the other trading outliers of the Empire will come, rather than from the exercise of a fraction of representative power neither necessary nor wanted.