The Opunake Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1895. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 103, 28 June 1895, Page 2

The Opunake Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1895. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

A gbeat saving will be effected, apparently, by the Board in adopting the contract system for casting rubble over the breakwater for protective purposes. Uunder the old system, according to a return laid before the Board, although the quarrying and loading was done free by prison labor, it costs 4s o£d per yard. Now, under contract without prison labor, it is undertaken to be done at 2s 3d per yard. If the contractor can make it pay at this price, it will be apparent that in tbe past the Board has only received one pound's worth of work for every two pounds spent. If the contract system had been adopted a few years ago or even when the public of New Plymouth subscribed the £IOOO, the work would have now been completed and fair security gained for the structure. All the outer portion of the structure is in a very critical state, and it will be very lucky if the protective works are completed before it is irreparably damaged. The task of the present Board is made all the harder to accomplish, as damage is so frequently occurring that it makes a heavy drain on the the Board's resources. In the matter of finance the present Board is very much hampered compared with the previous one, which had tbe £IOOO Hubscribed by the public to work on besides creating an overdraft of £4OO, which was also spent by them. In studying economy new arrangements have been made with the secretary and collector, which will result in a saving of about £IOO per annum. Whilst it is natural for any man to resent a reduction in his emolument we are under the impression that he will still be very well paid for the duties which he has to perform. We think that the town has now every reason to be satisfied with the business capacity of the country members who were returned at the last election, as we feel sure much better results will be obtained for the expenditure under their administration.