THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR

Patea Mail, Volume XII, Issue 15, 21 May 1886, Page 2

THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR

Mr McGuire.-treats us ill’our last; issue to what he evidently , intends to be, a most terrible chastigation, and one that answers his present purpose most admirably, but unfortunately his very first sentence shews unmistakably and in very large measure a want of that “ breadth of mind!” the absence of wbicb be so much deprecates at tbe close of his letter. Now mark well his beginning “ The best proof, that the course adoptedi by me with respect to the Harbour rate is not an electioneering cry got up for the-occa-sion is tfiat ten years ago, when 1 was a member of the Provincial Council, I opposed the H-hour, Bill imposing the existing rate, op thp same grounds, viz!, that, the harbour Work -was properly a colonial undertaking, and . should not, th(3refore,. be undertaken by a province. Instead of my being an enemy of Patea and Hawera, I may say that on the contrary it! is owing to my acting in concert, with Messrs Peacock and Sherwood in the Provincial Cpuncil that Patea and Hawera districts are not now su' jcct to the one shilling rate.” What breadth of mind! What noble sentiment!! Mr McGuire was quite prepared to shed the last drop of his brothers blood. He was willing to tax the whole colong or any portion of it, so long as his own and immediate neighbours’ property were not included, and Mr McGuire is prepared to do the same to-day or any other day, the whole colony’s blood may be spilt by the hogshead,but—don’t come near home'with the lancet. Hawei;a, and Waimdte Plains distinct may be 1, languishing, for want .of a and it may ,be , the bqjuideh duty oi the , colony to pay the tax to provide one

. in?iorder to secure a return, of prosperity, but unless tbe whole colony is prepared to divide the cost Hawera. .and Waimate must be exempt- from •liability. The colony must pay ihe piper, but Mr McGuire must choose; the tune. What breadth of jmndj|; McGuire then attacks oiij his former letter, and to a-; sllngism more expressive than polite, Ve must admit that in the first sentence he quotes, “he’s got us by the JrßolvJ* Hsihe word IWaimatp’l was 'inadvertently admitted into the senwhich -of ’ course sv Tfiak<Ss - his statement that “ the-New Plymouth Harbour Board have not released the ratepayers in question from-liability -totaxation,’” correct, as undoubtedly the ‘ ' Kaa not released the Waimate Plains from liability to the original tax, nor are they likely to do so. ~ Mr. McGuire , and we give him Ins point. He then states his, proposal to abolish the existing rate, and says 1 ’ ;

This would not again render “ liab’e the “ ratepayers of the (district just released, and thus tender nugatory the, to them, satisfactory result of the late agitation.” The change would make them liable to pay farthings, where '.the existing shilling rate ''..would meke them liable to pay pounds . ' .sterling.out of their > Mr McQmre Here endeavours to (i carry: forward ”, the slip of .the last sentence; but here it won’t do, as no mention of Waimate is made, the being as- above quoted,’ “the district just released,” which of course can only be, Hawera Borough and Riding, and these are,' whatever Mr McGuire may.say.to tlie contrary,; as far as the harbour is concerned, absolutely free from “liability to taxation,” and the liability' to' “ pay farthings ” would be- a “ liability to taxation ” which does-'not noiv exist Mr McGuire then proceeds:—

“ Nature having supplied the settlers with the intelligence to recognise the enormpuS; improyemeute this-would make in ttieir position, they will, I am afraid, hardly agree -with your arguments, any more than! withthe extraordinary, state- . ' merit you made a little further on, to the effect that An additional rate will be

“ accurately described as nil.” With the degree of intelligence with which nature has supplied Hawera settlers we have no intimate knowledge, blit will at once admit that the average settler is' imbued with sufficient intelligence ito recognise the. advantage of having the value of his property . advanced tenfold by the; expenditure oft other people’s moneyi without' increasing, his osvn liability. We have, however, a little to say about the quotation used. We gave Mr McGuire most; ample ‘ opportunity, of * laying on the lash in fair and ;honest criticism, and we therefore regret ' to find him . stooping to themiserable subterfuge of . distorting sentences tp enable him to- combat them. No such quotation as that given above occurs anywhere-in our remarks, neither is there one that could possibly be made to carry that construction. The original sentence was “ * * for admitting, and we think .no one will doubt it, that the" additional, tax required;to pay interest and sinking, fund .on an extended loan, if spread over the whole colony, would he infinitessimally small, it could not be less than an additional: rate, accurately described by the word nil, which is the present position ’of the settlers' 1 within' the released area.” (These words were not italicised in the original.) The sentence, is a, simple incontestible fact, and if reduced to ten words would read: “No ascertained quantity, however small, can he less than nothing Mr McGuire, evidently not liking- the look of the bare fact, takes up the middle of a sentence • It could not be less than] “an additional rate(y) will he accurately described, by the word,' nil,” inserts between two portions of sentences the word b, will be, and then, says settlers, who have been supplied with a fair amount: of intelligence, will hardly agree with our extraordinary statement. Perhaps if Mr McGuire “stuffed” them sufficiently, and told them the extraordinari/ statement that an additional raje , will bo accurately .described by the word nil, was the result of years of patient and constant watchfulness over their warfare, on his part, these 1 intelligent settlers might he brought‘ to agree with it. We freely admit that we should npver attempt such a : trfsk.', Wkh one or two following sentences, of Mr McGuire’s letter, we shall not deal, as it is purely matter of opinion; we gave ours, he gives his ; readers can judge for themselves, but where Mr J^cGuire,, purposely jjpr; ’otherwise,, ? distorts] bur remarks, to enable him to get round them, we must crave permission to set ourselves;right, and this happens: in the sentence

* Neither can I [agree with you that “ the “ immediate result of such ‘ taking their “departure ’ means the ‘enlargement and “enrichment of the larger and more “ prosperous towns.” How could the immediate depopulation of the rural districts enrich the towns ?” . ■ M This is a construction the original sentence would not; hear.; Mr McGuire’s original statement,, which we quoted, was: “It must :be evident, also, that, with the disappearance of the small settlers, the trade of the towns must languish, and be materially diminished, the toicnspeople also.very soon taking their; departure (italics are purs), and thus .causing a further diminution of the, number of persons consuming taxed goods in the district.” Mr McGuire here, again distorts the sentence, tp; make it. fit .with his own argument. There was no mention of the settlers “ taking their departure, ” it could be in refers ence to the townspeople only, and no one knows better than Mr McGuire that as a 'rule townspeople go to a town, a larger and more prosperous one if possible; still they go to a town, and thereby enlarge and enrich it. We never said -‘the immediate depopulation of the rural districts enriched the , towns ” or anything approaching such an absurdity. Mr >fcGuire .=thpn. compliments.. jas ; . on having “ kept our most charming piece for the end.” . Wo regret we (

cannot return the compliment," but ai smattering iof regard for ithd 'truth prohibits it. Surely, say h'-Mr; McGuire, “tbe sum of the'prosperity of tjie parts of the colony, is what constitutes the prosperity of the whole:” ■ Why,;of course, multiply the length ;by breadth, t|ie / <by : the *deptl^-eat : J thev swallow the slate—and you obtain tbe solid contents. But Mr McGuire forgets that he prides pm haying reduced /the area of - the taxable district in aid of workswhich • ..^ re necessary to 'the of} the \j.colony , • and that what he now wants js the colony be'taxed'td'.etfsiife th'e' perity p| doubt, and of a very pleasant character—you pay the cost, r and I’ll take the profit. . We heartily join with Mf 'McGuire in the hope That anew spirit is abroad amongst us, that, the day ; when the v prosperity of our neighbour 'creates a feeling of bitterness in durheaffs is going’by ; and that ’ the birth of a broader and more * geneEdiis feeling is at hand, * ! # * ” and your petitioners will ever pray, etc. .