HARBOR MATTERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9647, 23 January 1903, Page 3

HARBOR MATTERS.

iTo the Editor of the Herald.) Sir, —l was extremely pleased to read your leader on the above m last night's issue, and 1 agree with you that it is a matter for regret that the public do not take more interest m the.se matters. The Board, I consider, is the most important public body, and yet. it seems to claim the smallest amount of attention. One is constantly hearing complaints made, against the Board, and the. members personally, and yet, apparently, we are not going to have a change m the Board this year, as so far no one has been nominated for membership. We want oti the Board members of sound business principles, with plenty of backbone, both of which some of the present members seem to be lacking, as shown m the unbusinesslike manner m which the contract for the dredge had been entered into when the final payments came up for consideration, and the members allowed themselves to be thumb-nailed by the contractors. The members are neither active nor progressive enough, and it is a wonder how some of them retain their seats. When they can present a report like was presented by the Napier Harbor Board a fe-w days ago, they will have reason to be satisfied with theeuiselves. The amateur engineering spirit pervades the Board too much, members plucing greater, confidence m their own opinions than m those of professional engineers. This amateur eugigeering started when the breakwater was

■ placed m it« present position, the mai jority of members considering they knew i better than such an eminent engineer as i Sir John Coode. The result is apparent • to everyone. The- break wa.ter has been ;. a failure, and expensive machinery is gi»- --■ ing to rust and ruin. The poor suffering taxpayer knows how much it has cos! him. * Unlike other public bodies, the Harbor Board lias to consider great engineering difficulties, of which most of tinmembers are scientifically ignorant, and they should give the engineer a free hand. 1 was glad to see you mention about a swinging basin. 1 have often looked to se,e where a good swinging basin could litmade without very great expense. I think the slip has taken up the best strip of water that could be. utilized for a swinging basin. Regarding that slip, of which there has been so much talk, it certainly does seem that it will be of no great use, or it would have been pushed on, considerably quicker. I think 1 have taken up enough of your space, but 1 sincerely hope to see some of our townsmen nominated for a seat. — Yours, etc., R.T. A fatal fire occurred at Mudgee, Queensland, last week. A four-roomed house occupied by a man named Ambrose Robertson, his wife, and three children, was destroyed. Robertson left home at 7 o'clock, and on returning about 11 found that the house had been burned to the ground. Later on the charred remains of Mrs Robertson and her three children, aged 5, 3, and 1 respectively, were found among the ruins. It is supposed the wife was reading m bed with a lain]), which must have ignited the curtains. The. fire had too firm a hold when discovered for any rescue to be effected.