THE FUTURE OF PORT OAMARU.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 642, 24 May 1878, Page 2

THE FUTURE OF PORT OAMARU.

♦ COMMUNICATED, In perusing the columns o-f vonr morning contemporary of the loth," I see our mutual friend 'Maeques" settles the question anenfc the future of our port on tiio most indisputable evidence. Of course everyone knows, or should know, : ■ that tlu-ro is not s-.noiv.rli water inside the : pierhead to iio:\% ih.o Great Eastern ; but ( it Sicoius that there is a ohm of vessels to Jbe obtained in America which are con- ' f structcd. puvpose'y for shallow water ' J trading-. These crafts are possessed of ' great beam, and stow as much cargo, pro- ' portionat.-ly, as ihe deep holds of iJOsWip tons, which cannot haul in to \h'.> Macau- j ' drew Wharf. As ships vhev ! are consider:'.!)!}; ; c3a --laky to damageable I and, as sailers," are capable of I ' (attaining a high rate of speed. Thus'! t ,l 1 ';!" 0 . :llv !*y ! "- > m ans insurmountable j ' d'.i'ii-uU'k-s ia the way of making our i>iy = ! 1 sent, port as useful .is Port Chahuer.-i." it j ' Is said—and no doubt one- c«s hmt of'' •'•Jacques' " autho.i'ineu urn beao it out - that there is & line deep water basin at the po.ilit of ti.o ou-.o Wanshrow iv<-f, i wnich by \ lie. (v.np .ira lively small expenditure of ÜbtbOOOcan be made available for all ae:i-got;..r ] lUl'j.c'Sod. My opinion is that if this is true, and Mho.old it i.'-j rendered news-airy, ouv grain nierehants would form a \i.>a'k Company, and make it available, f-ineh ideas may' see-in t" be before our time, but in consideration j.f our agricultural, pastoral, and other j rising export interests, it may be deemed j worthy of thought. Or, here is another I idea: Lee lis presume that there is suliij dent present and prospective trade, fi i all sources, to oiuph.y a ileet of say h-n or I twelve full-rigged ships a year. Would i it not b..< muej. more profitable for i.-,ur / r merchants, instead of expendhv; money " in purchasing such (he construction ;U i O.imaru Company'.-, | Dock, tluvu -employing labor and expend- j • ing our capital at our own doovs, -which j would give sin impetus, to hude that it. occasionally so luue.h r-equirea. Central- j j nation in vise, great ultimatum of every | available seaport in Xoiv Zealand. To I this end Dune-din. with pardonable ' anxiety, directs her aims. The en«sUl < ! railway system has been instituWi wiihj the solo object of aggr;\mlising, if pos- j sible. the entire inuje" of this Provincial j District. Any attempt to damage out I i port is done with a Dunedin end ii> view ; | our, it should not be lost sight, of that' until su'iieient population is "introduced, i and the settlement of our interior Jands lias, j bee u arrived at, coasted railway.'} will be of j no efb.-et iiorth of i-'.umer.ston as far as Ibp/.edm in concerned ; and even when I : this lias come to pass, if our wealthy ! milling and grain, linns are wise, they can j keep tile trade by nuking n. ti&ely effort to provide themselves with a safe berth for vessels of r.oy tonnage, accompanied | - iiy tlv.:se, conveniences for relitting which ■ all central ports .should have. No great | work is accomplished without energy, ■„ \ c.-num-- dii-y which none of (ho.se interested I in the Onuuini grain and import (rade. j hicks: as witness, ihe majority of our! millers have, by industry, worked theia--j selves into the proud positions which ) they now occupy. Bueh (rue metal in j our midst is calculated to give us the. hope that the time is not far distant when wo shall have a port the,t will aocommodato any vessel frectueiiking these seas, if obtainable at at!, Counucoi'ia.