Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MAY 1, 1923. HARBOR ELECTIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16114, 1 May 1923, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MAY 1, 1923. HARBOR ELECTIONS.

A good deal of interest and importance attach to tho forthcoming elec tion of members to tho Gisborne Harbor Board to represent the Counties of Cook and Waikohu. The Borough electors a few days ago gave full endorsement to the sound policy initiated by the Board for the obtainment of a harbor for Gisborne, and approved by a substantial majority of ratepayers of both town and country afc tho recent loan poll, and it is sincerely to be hoped that no element of discord will now be permitted to enter into the Board's deliberations to obstruct and frustrate tho realisation of that policy. We believe that there is just as emphatic a demand from the country as from the town that this great district should have adequate harbor accommodation. Tho burden of present conditions falls just as heavily upon the country resident as tho town dweller, for all are consumers of merchandise and have to pay the taxes which such mer'chandise has to bear in the shape of excessive freights and landing charges due to the absence of harbor facilities, and all at some time or other have chafed under the delays and discomforts which travellers to and from this port liavo to endure. Without doubt a good harbor would assist materially in the development of the district, giving strength to the primary industries as well as to the* commerce of tho town, and as was so forcibly pointed out during the loan poll campaign the amount of added cost .to any ratepayer by reason of the rating that is likely to ensue is going to b c more than counterbalanced

by the savings which will be effected. For many years tho community of this district has been striving to get a harbor, but never has the project been nearer to accomplishment than it is today, when the Board has the authorisation of the ratepayers for tho raising of a loan, and it has got together ti strong engineering staff, which ill the most careful manner is investigating the possibilities of harbor construction here and is preparing plans for Submission to the Board. It was promised the ratepayers when the loan was under consideration that tho new harbor engineer would receive a free hand to investigate and report as to what he considered absolutely the best scheme for the district; ho was not to be tied down to tho preliminary plans approved by the Marine Department and adopted by the Board, but could amend them as he pleased. That, we believe, is the present policy of the Board, and it is awaiting the result of Mr Campbell's researches. We have no doubt that when the time comes he will be prepared to give good reason for every line of his recommendation and that he will be ready with plans for the immediate commencement of the work. If Mr Leslie Reynolds' scheme in endorsed, as in its main principles we think it will be, the first proposal of the Board doubtless will be the diversion of the river so that the present harbor entrance may be freed from the. (lev.) .'j;.i of river silt and utilised as speedily as possible for the accommodation of the ferry steamer, the produce and coal boats, and the numerous fleet of coastal vessels which trade to and from our port. This would bring realisation of the long desired objective of "immediate relief." Its effect, within a very short period, would be to reduce freight and handling charges and to cheapen the cost of commodities to the community. It would enable shipments of produce to be sent away which now cannot be made because of the burden of freights. \We heard the other day of an enquify from outside for a very large consignment of maize. The failure of crops in Australia is going to create a greater demand for this commodity, and buyers are already at work scanning the fields of possible supply. A great deal of maize is grown in this district, and there should be a largo quantity available for export. The price offered in this particular instance was a good one, but it was found when enquiry came to be made that the cost of shipment from Gisborne, owing to the high freights consequent on harbor conditions, would have taken all the cream off tho transaction, and left the farmer with very little for his labor; so the deal did not eventuate. Similarly the fruitgrowers of the district, though their industry is expanding, have become dependent entirely upon local consumption, as it is out of the question to ship fruit to outside markets under present freight charges. This sort of thing militates very seriously against the man on the land— Hie small farmer struggling to make the best use of his land, and we fear there can he no relief and no hope of better conditions until the port conditions are improved in the direction indicated. The deviation of the river and the dredging of the inner harbor should be and will be the first work to bc undertaken by the Board, and outer harbor construction may follow as speedily as possible thereafter. This, we understand, is tho present programme of the Board, and it surely will be endorsed by the county ratepayers. The 'candidates seeking the ratepayers' support at the coming election should lose no time in indicating whether or not they are prepared to support such a policy. It is highly undesirable that there should bo any party of obstruction placed upon tho Board, for, as we have said, the prospect of the district securing the great boon of harbor accommodation is hotter than ever it has been and the Board seems to be moving forward towards that end on sound, prudent, and thoroughly cautious lines.