THIRD EDITION NAPIER HARBOR

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17229, 8 April 1930, Page 11

THIRD EDITION NAPIER HARBOR

CENTRALISATION THREAT VIEWS OF MINISTER The Hon. J. (). Cobbe, Minister of Marine, who was in Napier last weekend, left for Wellington yesterday. In a statement before bis departure Mr. Cobbe said, in reply to a question, that tho Government was opposed to the centralisation of shipping, the Minister, who was for several years dnjirnian ui the Wellington Harbor ‘Board, added that while the Government was absolutely opposed to the centralisation, he felt that he could give the Hawke's Bay people a little advice on it. If those concerned in the harbor question did not pull, together and so acnieve results, he lelt that the economic position would bring centralisation into being—in fact, the Minister said he was positive that that would happen. He commended the proposal of Mr. W. E. Barnard, member for Napier, in his efforts to bring tho representatives of the peoplo together to reach a iconelusion —it was imperative that something should be done to reach a settlement on the harbor controversy.

During his stay in Napier the Minister made an inspection of both harbors, and he said that he had seen the conditions ruling during the heavy sea. He said that he had read a great deal about t ho question, including the report of the ltoval Commission, and he thought. Hud if an intelligent interest was taken in the problem it. should be easy to reach a definite decision.—Napier Telegraph.