WAIKOKOPU SCHEME

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19038, 11 June 1936, Page 4

WAIKOKOPU SCHEME

GISBORNE ATTITUDE WATROA DISAPPOINTMENT HOPE STILL HELD (Heraid Oorrnspondent.) Cbrrospondoncc was received from the Gisborne Harbour Board at the Wairoa Harbour Board's meeting on Tuesday, acknowledging the receipt of the chairman's letter in respect to the Waikokopu deep water harbour scheme, it being decided that no action should be taken.

The chairman, Mr. J. Corkill, said he was very sorry at the result. Wairoa had made an "honest effort. It was a big job, and ho felt they would yet do better when the railway linked up Gisborne with Waikokopu. It was only a matter of time and he believed the' scheme would come about, for many of the Gisborne people were very keen about it. It was a hard thing, no doubt, to break away from established conditions and businesses such as lightering. He could see where the Gisborne Harbour . Board 's difficulties lay. but lie hoped they would be meeting it again some clay. Mr. F. L. Joblin, who lived on the border of the two districts, said he agreed largely with the chairman. Not all the Harbour Board members were producers, and he found many of the latter very keen on linking up with Waikokopu, but they had not been given an opportunity of expressing an opinion. As to the lightering question, it was the producers who paid the charges. The question needed further consideration. A new order of things was coming along and the matter could come up later. Mr.' Corkill at one time was opposed to Waikokopu, but now he was a keen supporter. "TOO BIG FOR WAIROA ALONE" The chairman admitted the latter statement, and said the scheme was far too big a thing for Wairoa alone at any time, but new dispensations were possible, and they did not know even now how meat might be carried in the future —it might be by air. There was no other place so easy to delcvop as Waikokopu, but the people of Gisborne really had no say in the matter. He believed that if the people knew the full facts as put forth by Wairoa they would respond.

Mr. Joblin said that Wairoa's costs as set out were not published in full in Gisborne.

A member: The board represented them.

Mr. A. T. Carroll said there was no need to feel disappointed. Wairoa could still show Gisborne the need for a deep sea port when it came to the chilled beef trade, and then perhaps the present policy would be changed. He felt that if the issue were put to the people there might have been a very different result. Mr. J. M. Taylor thought they should now take up with Wellington the subject of {jetting a deep sea port on the East Coast. Several Ministers appeared to be greatly interested and they should send the chairman and secretary down and put the case before them. Waikokopu might be found very useful for defence if trouble came. The chairman endorsed the idea of a deputation, but thought it better to wait as the Ministers were sure to visit Wairoa soon.

Mr. R. Tapper, jun., said he was sure the board had a good case, but vested interests were too strong, and he thought a quiet talk with Ministers would do more good than a deputation. Mr. R. Steed said he was in accord with the view that Waikokopu would come into its own some day, and it was hard for the Gisborne board to go into the scheme just now, but, when the railway came it woufd be different.