THE HARBOUR, BOARD'S ENDOWMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13984, 17 August 1907, Page 7

THE HARBOUR, BOARD'S ENDOWMENTS.

, SIR,—It is just 12 months ago since tho citizens of Dunedio and the harbour district of Otago spoke on this question, and spoke with no uncertain sound on the injury dome to the city and harbour district by past Governments by taking a.way the most valuable of the harbour endowments, and also injuring what was left by severing it from the city without adequate means of access. A strong deputation was sent to Wellington to'interview the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), and all this at able cost to the Harbour Board ant sty Counoil—i-e., the citizens. Able speeches were made on caoh occasion to show the injustioe that had boon ® ih jjgsti a£jj

Otago and tho city of Dunedin; and strong arguments were brought forward to try an<l induce tho Government not only to givo back a portion of the valuable lands taken, ! which appeared to tho spoakors to bo oil very lrttlo use to the railway—-i,0., tho Cumberland street frontage, from Anderson's Bay. road to High street,—but to givo ' amplo a.ud proper means of access to and] from this portion of the city to that southeast of tho railway, which tho Harbour Board has now largely to depend on for its rovenue for the maintenanoo and improvements of tho harbour. Tho pro- ' motors of thai meeting and tho deputation whioh wont to Wellington know too volt .that the port of Otago arid fcho< Otago district, add the city's trade and oommerco wore 'J bfiing greatly injured and hampered by 1 tbo heavy and increasing harbour dues, while tho Bluff port dues waro decreasing i ' and the latter port in a fair way, probably shortly, to bo made a free port, when it , may, perhaps, bo as cheap to rail and 1 ship v goods to and from tho Bluff from our own distriot, south of Diuiedin, as at would ho to recoive them and ship them at our own : port. .Most of tho city and other M.H.Ri's < were prosont at that and : other • meetings held, .when tlioy wore given to undoreianct that justice was expected for this port,'and their aotivo and oombtnod asistnnce was expected in that direction. Twelve months have now passed, and what has been done? . Nothing. On tlio contrary, the Government 1:1 has answered' tho peoplo of Otago by building a permanent structure on tho Cumberland street and' Anderson's Bay road frontage, and has not only sealed that'for alt time, but if this building is to be used ao engine sheds it will partially ruin tho pro- ' perty of tho Harbour Board and its tenants aitualed on tlio opposite, sido of that street. Not only so, but tho Government . is.fast oompletcly dividing tho city, from' Caversliam to near Dunedin main station, by a huge ombankmentwithonlyabout four narrow oponings leading to tho roet of tho city, its suburbs, tho Peninsula, and tho Taieri oourrty on tho south-oast sido of this railway—a thing that would not bo tolerated by anv other oily in the world but Dunedin, nor yet, I believe, attempted by any other ■" i' Government in tlio world but our own: I venture to say we will yot bo the laughing • j S stock of all who visit qur city and who look at our limited area of level land and tho huge railway monopoly and embanli- - ment.

But. Sir, let mo ask again what arb we doing? TwcJvo months have gono and we . aro calmly looking on. TVliat aro tho M.II.R.'s doing who attended that monster meeting?' Such matters as helping foreign; speculative gag companies to retrieve their ' position at tho oxpenso of tha citizens aro receiving groat attention; also other mafctore aro legislated on, which legislation, -y in'my opinion, is gradually but assuredly ' " laying tho foundation of ruin of this fair oountry of oin-s, and will do it if not speedily checked. But tho port and district of Otago, and 1 the troubles and difficulties of •it and this city, seem forgotten 111 the turmoil. My opinion, too, Sir, is ' that tho railway should have been built on ■' ■ brick or concrete piers or ardios, as, is done under similar circumstances in othef countries, when roads could havo been made under thorn anywhere whew required, and which arches'oouldrhave been tisod for storage or other purposes, as is dono in ' other countries, and not have blook'ed tho , view of the harbour and ono part of the ' V?: city from tho other excof/t from an eleva-' -i.-ij tion, and practically sever ono part of tho city from tho other, as is being now 1 . done. Tho Government has done soma excellent, things for this country,. l admit; but it is,.in my opinion, not treating the ; port of Otago nor tho city of Dunedin or '; • its outsido districts (is they deservo to be treated and is duo to thorn. Not do I think tho M.H.R«'s aro pulling together as : v one man, as thoy should in theso matters. " vi Let mo. again ask, Sir, what is being ' : done?—l am, etc., G. Lawrence, | •