THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1912. THE DREDGING AT THE WHARF.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13454, 27 June 1912, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1912. THE DREDGING AT THE WHARF.

We think we may reasonably conclude from the ..reply of the Minister of Railways to the- deputation representing the Nelson Harbour Board which waitedupon him at Wellington yesterday, that he lias every disposition to remove the ■cause- of the Board's very legitimate grievance against his Department. The Board's representations to the Railway Department concerning the necessity for the dredging have been before the public now for some time, and it is unnecessary to recapitulate the facts of the matter. The carrying out of this work is a.matter of the first urgency in i the interests of the district. If it is ! carried out the Board could at the comparatively small expenditure estimated by Mr Holmes, Engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department, and Mr Young, the Westport harbour engineer, ; render the harbour efficient for a good many years to come for tho type of oversea vessels we may expect to require accommodation. How essential it is that ample provision should be made for these ships is a matter upon which it is wholly unnecessary that we should enlarge. It is sufficient to say that whenever an oversea liner due to call at. Nelson with inward cargo or to load perishable produce, and is unable to fulfil her engagement owing to her being too deeply loaded to work the port in,safety, or any other cause, the district suffers serious inconvenience and loss. That this happened on one occasion in consequence of the. vessel drawing too j much water to lie afloat at the wharf at j low water, Mr Macmahon pointed out to the Minister yesterday. If tho Railway Department does not undertake the ivcrk, the position is that it will be useless for the Harbour Board to proceed with the contemplated improvements, the one being complementary of . the other. The subject was gono into very fully between the Board and tho Department while the Hon. Mr Millar was at the head of the latter, and that Mr Millar was convinced that the Department's duty in the matter was clear was shown !>-.• liis reply to a deputation shortly before he vacated office, to the effect that ho would leave a memorandum for his successor, recommending the work to his early and favourable attention. The Board therefore had every reason for surprise when the answer of the Minister of Marino to rer:cwod representations recently was in tbo negativo, on the ground that "tho departmental officers had advised lihn that the present berthage accommodation was ample for the existing requirements of the wharf, and that being bo the Department could not see its way to authorise further expenditure at the present time." Such a reason for re-

fusal can only be explained by tho supposition that the departmental officers misunderstood the position, and wore referring to the area of the berthago, and not the depth, which, is the ,only ; matter of complaint. That Mr Laurenson himself is under no misapprehension in the matter—since his visit to Nelson —is evident from the assistance ho rendered the deputation yesterday. He "assured tho Minister of Railways," I says the report of the proceedings furnishod by our Wellington -correspondent, "that on. a visit to Nelson, having inspected the port, he was absolutely satisfied it was only a fair thing and an absolute necessity for the welfare of the port." That is. the view any business man might bo expected to take of the Board's request when the facts of the case had been fairly put before him. Mr Myers is far too capable an administrator himself not to readily grasp the fact that in holping the district, as it is tho obvious duty of tho Department to do in the peculiar circumstances of the dual harbour control, tho Department is at the same time increasing the revenue-producing capacity of its wharf. The-' deputation had tho strongest of cases, and it laid the matter before the Minister vory clearly and convincingly, being strongly supported by the members for the districts affected, Messrs Atmore and McKenzie. On his part Mr Myers, as wo have already .said, displayed every disposition, once properly seized of the facts, to assist the Board. "He realised the urgency of the work," he said in tho course of his reply, "and no doubt those found to be responsible must give it attention, immediately, for in these days such a matter could not wait. . ... If/it could bo shown that

the Railway Department was retarding the progress of the port, he could assure the deputation that it was not going to stand in tho way." On the question of responsibility, the General Manager of. Railways agreed with the deputation that it was the Railway Department' s duty to provide a sufficient depth of water to float vessels which used its wharf. The Minister promised to obtain a report on the matter from his responsiblo officers within a week, and we may trust that upon its receipt he will take prompt steps to end the present unsatisfactory position in a manner satisfactory to tho Harbour Board and the district wliose interests are at stake.