MOERAKI HARBOUR BOARD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 604, 9 April 1878, Page 2

MOERAKI HARBOUR BOARD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL. Sir, —ln your issue of the 3rd instant I see you have, been gratifying your vicious propensities by again sneering at the. Moeraki Harbour Board, and that Mr. William Murcott has, under the shadow of your wing, been snarling in the same direction. As a key to his protest he should, however, have added that he was a member of the- firm of M Kenzie, Paisley, and Co., that it was in their interest ho protested, and that he had already succeeded in enabling his firm to elude payment of the Board's charges, to ft very large amount. But, enough of Air. W. Muroott. I can honestly recommend him to you as a genuine type of Dicken's parlourorator or red-faced men—"weak-pated delta they are, and a great deal of mischief they do to their cause, however good." Now, as to the facts of the case, "mark how plain a tale shall put you down." The Board has been in existence for two years, during which the members have given their best services without fee or reward. They have acted honest and honorably throughout ; they have put the whole of their appliances in thorough working order; have secured the services of a small, but efficient, staff_ of men ; have reduced the charges to a minimum, lower than any neighboring port, and just sufficientto cover working expenses; and, for their reward, they are vilified and slandered by you because they have refused to squander the public money entrusted to them, and appoint Captain Liddell to a situation he was incompetent to fill, and because they have resisted Mr. Murcott's attempt to get the material used by his firm landed free of port charges. The Board, hitherto, have done their duty fearlessly and well, their only fault that of Desdemona—- " She was too fond of her most filthy bargain."—l am, &c., James T. Donaldson*, Chairman Moeraki Harbour Board. Hampden, 6th April, 1878.