South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1883.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3115, 28 March 1883, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1883.

The case of the ship Margaret Galbraith, it must be confessed, is one of hardship, and no one can help sympathising with her master. He has been hardly used on all hands. His owners allowed him to lie here week after week without orders, and in the meantime be becomes a nuisance in the eyes of the harbormaster, who cannot “ sleep o’ nights ” for thinking of the risk involved in allowing her to remain inside the breakwater, among the other shipping. She is consequently ordered off again to the outer anchorage. Shortly alter, she gets her sailing orders, and, still lying outside, she takes in a portion of her cargo. The harbormaster then intimates his

intention of bringing her inside. This intention is frustrated by a continuance of heavy weather, and when, the heavy weather having subsided, she ought to be brought irr in pursuance of the harbormaster's intention, other vessels arrive»ahd are brought inside, and then the fiat of . the harbormaster again goes forth ' that she cannot with safety be .broughtin at all, but may he shifted to a berth outside “ convenient for loading.” The Margaret Galbraith would be only too glad to come in and be loaded, but there is no room for her and she is consequently compelled to remain outside. This is a genuine case of hardship, which we hope will come under the notice of the Board at next meeting. Why should a newly arrived vessel have the preference over the home ship ? If this is the way the business of the port is carried out, it will as effectually drive away foreign trade as a series of wrecks could do. We heartily support the Harbormaster in the exercise of bis duty, when bis solicitude for the safety of the shipping causes him to make arrangements which may not bo to the taste of the parties concerned. But we certainly think he has dealt harshly and with partiality with this vessel, and that the matter ought to be enquired into.

Our contemporary, the “ Herald,” on Monday last indulged in a leader of a most dismal type. Oar contemporary is amusing, especially when he is wise after an event, when he administers, with ineffable dignity, a castigation to somebody, or when he settles national affairs in general with preternatural wisdom. In this case, however, he is dreary' beyond description ; he rends his clothes and howls—all joy has departed from him—South Canterbury is doomed I The occasion of all this is the alleged determination of the Harbor Board to carry out an arm to the Breakwater from the end of the present contract at an angle of about 130 degrees. As a matter of fact, such a structure would render the port a thoroughly safe haven for traders of good size, giving a depth of 22 feet at least, and secure for us, besides a large coastal and intercolonial trade, a good proportion of Horae trade. The “ Herald’s ” objection to this scheme is that it provides only for a small future for South Canterbury, and it urges the formation forthwith of a great harbor sufficient for the accommodation of vessels of the largest tonnage, in view of the grand future that lies before the district. It is not in any captious spirit that we differ from this view, and heartily endorse the action proposed by the Board ; it is because we believe they are acting with prudence and sound judgment, in the matter. It is all very well to talk of our big future, but it is possible to discount the future a trifle too freely, and that is certainly not advisable. There must be a line drawn somewhere, in this habit of anticipating the future —and it is a serious question whether we are justified in undertaking a gigantic work, in view of a remote future of grand prosperity, while neglecting to provide for an immediate future, which though on a less extensive scale, is directly remunerative ; whether, in short, we are justified in starving ourselves to feed posterity. The proposed arm would, as we have said, make a good harbor of this, for vessels of sufficient size to meet our requirements for some years. It would make a snug harbor ; that is the point we want to reach. We see no reason why a farther extension of a straight line afterwards should be long delayed after that is completed. As the trade develops, we venture to say there will not be much difficulty experienced in carrying out a further extension. In the meantime we, in common with most residents of the district will be abundantly satisfied to have a safe haven where there has so long been only an inhospitable roadstead, and very partial shelter. One thing we trust will be seen to —and that is the solidity of the structure. There can be no question about it,that unless the arm is constructed of very solid work, well protected on the sea side by a sloping wall of rubble, to resist the increased power of the sea, it will be worse than useless. That is an engineering detail, however, which we take for granted will receive proper attention.