The Opunake Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1894. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 49, 18 December 1894, Page 2

The Opunake Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1894. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR.

As we anticipated, the Harbour Board has availed itself of the power granted in the Harbor’s Amendment Act to obtain funds by means of an overdraft. During the interval between meetings in November and December, a sum .of money was required, which, under the old circumstances would have had to wait payment until the December meeting, but the chairman and another member took upon themselves the responsibility of obtaining an overdraft for that amount, becoming personally liable for it, pending the confirmation of their action by the Board. This proved by the subsequent action of the Board to be the thin edge of the wedge. At the meeting held on last Wednesday, their action was confirmed, and, after a long debate, it was decided to authorise an overdraft of £4OO. Mr Maxwell strenuously opposed this, and pointed out that while there was no authority for an overdraft, the Board had succeeded in doing without one, but that as soon as the authority was granted the Board immediately found it could not get on without one. The £4OO at present authorised is still only the small end of the wedge, and if there was a probability of it resting there it would not be so bad, although any addition to the present annual charge for interest distributed over the whole rating area, whether such area is directly interested or not in the harbour, is certain to be very strongly disapproved of. The fear is, however, that it will not rest there, but will grow and grow until the full limit authorised by the Act is reached. As we read the Act, the Board can obtain by way of overdraft a further loan of nearly £IO,OOO, as the income, exclusive of Government subsidies and grants, comes to about that amount. The whole of this amount, according to the damage constantly occurring, judging by the past year, will be required, and if the management of the Board’s affairs is left in the hands of the present town holders of office, it will surely be spent. When Mr Maxwell kept on pressing his objection to the overdraft and opposing it to the end, he was curtly informed that he had not been at the breakwater, or he would admit the urgent necessity for the assistance sought. As he contended, that was not the point. We are satisfied that if the New Plymouth Harbor is to be kept in existence a further loan of some description will be necessary, and we are also satisfied that the great majority of country ratepayers will never agree to become responsible for any further liability on account of the harbor, if they can help it. Unless, however, they take steps to secure representation,'we are satisfied that they will become responsible by haying to pay interest on overdraft which the town members seem determined to force on them. Whatever money is required to be borrowed for further works will have to be paid by New Plymouth. To them the breakwater is of paramount importance, and they must bear the cost. If they do not like to get power to strike a further rate on the town district, then the only thing to do is to increase the wharfage. There is no other route by which the people of New Plymouth can procure freight at anything like the same cost as by way of their own port, and we are 'very much mistaken, in our opinion of the country ratepayers, if they are going to allow them to procure this direct benefit except at their own cost. The Board has the power to strike a rate of fd in the £, and we understand it is not like the interest on a Local Bodies Loan, where only the exact amount required to pay interest in any year may be raised, but that if the rate produces a greater amount than that required for this purpose, they are still at liberty to collect the full rate. According to the present, showing of the Board’s finances, in the course of another year a |d rate, with the land fund, would be sufficient to meet the interest if the revenue is not misapplied in any other direction. If they still collect the full amount, which they apparently have the power to do, then, under Section 4 of the Harbors Act Amendment Bill, they appear to be granted power to appropriate the surplus towards the creation of a special fund for the following contingencies : —(1) Destruction of or injury to any of the property of the Board ; (2) Depreciation in the value of any of the property of the Board; (3) Claims which may be made upon the Board by employes ; (4) Any other exceptional losses or expenditure, Since the Board has declined to divide the district into ridings, so as to give the country representation and protection, the only thing left for the country to do is to secure the representation for itself and take charge of the Harbour. In order to do this, meetings should be held at all the centres, and committees formed to make arrangements for the general election, which takes place in March next.