Invercargill Harbour.

Southland Times, Issue 11671, 27 February 1891, Page 3

Invercargill Harbour.

«. TO THE EDITOR. StR, — In reply to your correspondent *'Jack," I would respectfully inform him that I do not want tbe information whicb he ■ays I could get by attending at the Council HalL I am long since disgusted with the rattle trap that is there given vent to. What is wanted is simple business tact. The Council must know that the style in which they are conducting tbe harbour business is ruinous to tbe best interests of our fair town. If they will take the trouble to look up last year's balance-sheet they will there sceaaiUan of loss, incurred of no less a sum than L 506 10s lOd, which bad to be supplied from the general account. This amounts to nearly threepence in the pound en the total valuation of the town property. Just fancy, one-eighth of the rates simply paid away and lost on account of the harbour, yet we never hear one word spoken or see the slightest attempt made to alter this state of affairs. We have got a first-class machine on the ground and paid for, which, with jurliciou3 management, might be daily employed in improving the prospects of the pl*ce. That the harbour will pay, all will agree. We have not had an instance of failure except one, and that one is New Plymouth, and this was caused largely by the action of the Government in altering the land laws. From past experience it is plainly shown that as our harbour is managed it is a great loss to the ratepayers, and the sooner the painter is cut between the harbour and the Town Council the better it will be for all concerned. In common justice the demands of the ratepayers to be relieved from the cares of the harbour cannot be denied them. Harbours generally are looked upon as of general colonial importance. The question will at once present itself — Why should the ratepayers of Invercargill be saddled with an institution which no other town in New Zealand is called upon to manage ? On the face of it it is grossly unfair. The harbour stands now indebted to the town in some L 12.000, and is daily getting still worse. There is not the slightest hope of any assistance being available from the Town Council as their hands are quite full, and when a public body of this description has too much to attend to something must be neglected, and a sort of spasmodic floundering immediately sets in. The fact will be apparent to all thoughtful readers that we cannot afford to have the vital concerns of our town sacrificed through apathy on the part of those whose chief duty it is to lee that our interests are conserved. With your permission I will go into the business of our harbour in another letter. —I am, &c, , Aaron Blacke.