The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1902. THE IRONSAND QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 24 March 1902, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1902. THE IRONSAND QUESTION.

The position taken up by the Rarbout Board in its reply to the Hon A. J. Oadman is very unsatisfactory. With regard to the wisdom of handing over the harbour to Mr Oadman on the terms indicated by him, there is pltnty of room for a wide difference of opinion, and we think it is to be regretted th.it Mr Maxwell's resolution went so far bs it did, If the Board was not prepared, as his resolution indicated, to accept Mr Oadman's terms, whilst some members objected to the transfer on any terme, the better course would have been to have appointed a committee to go exhaustively, into the whole question, and advise the Board on the subject. As it is the Board, a» the chairman put it, is " an you were." The resolution proposed by the chairdoes not help the matter at all, but has simply shelved it. Mr Oadman is no nearer knowing what prospects there are that the necessary shipping facilities will be provided than when in England he wrote that the uncertainty regarding shipping facilities was a serious drawback. Those who know Mr Oadman will find it difficult, in the face of what he has already made public and the fact that he returns to' England shortly to complete the flotation of his company, to understand the doubt expressed about the company being formed. When Mr. Oadman was in New Plymouth and met the Board be stated most emphatically that his company would be formed, but its establishment in New Plymouth woulii depand on the harbour question. Is it reasonable to suppose that capitalists at Home will, in the face of the decided opinions expressed by members of the Board iepresenting a very large number of ratepayers that it wjs hopeless to expect ratepayers to support a loan, put their money in the venture if New Plymouth is to be the site of the works ? We fear, and we siy it with a full sense of the responsibility of the statement, that the works will now be eiected elsewhere. We are surprised the Board does not realise this danger and it i 8 its duty to give Mr. C*draan a straight out answer. Mr. Cadman is not likely to be satisfied with the present position. The Board's clear duty is to submit the question to the ratepayers who, we feel sure, wiil without hesitation, say whether in the, event of the works being erected they j will support a loan for the necessary increased shipping facilities or not. There are two distinct issues, which should be faced : handing over the harbour, or raising a loan. The answer to these can only be given by the ratepayers, and unless they are answered the alternative seems plain. Unfortunately, the seriousness and importance of the question appears to have been lost sight of by the Board. It is, however, realised elsewhere, and what is taking p'aco here is being closely watched. The Wellington Everting Post in a leading' article on the question, after referring to the negotiations proceeding and the high opinion it holds of Mr Oadman's j straightforwardness in all things, says : j —" As the promoter of the proposed j company, Mr Oadman tells the Board that the proj ct cannot beaccompli*h:d without a guatantee that the harbour j shall be made secure for the accommo-. dation of ocean-going steamers. JJr' j Oadman thinks this should be done by : | the Harbour Board, but aa an alterna-.' tive proposes that his company shall do : it for certain concessions, which include : control of the harbour, together with ] wharves, breakwater, plant, works, endowmtnts, and revenue of every de- i

scription for 56 yj'ars, at the expiration of which period the Harbour Board d would have power to resume possession 0 at a valuation. Harbour dues and n 1 port charges he propor.es shall bo matter cf mutual agreement. This is the crux £ of the proposition, and it will bo gonerally admitted that it covers a very ,■ large and important concession. It its 'all ged locally thtt fee rapid develop- ; ment if '.hu irad» of tie district, apart, i 1 from the operations of the proposed l company, will compel improvement of j the harbour, and that it can be made , adequate and profitable simultaneously, tIf this cm be shown the local body ] should ba able to give such assurances ' to Mr Oiidmun as will enable him to \ sititfy his London principals. If, on j the other hand, they cannot do this, i the proposals of the promoter should be ' placed in the clearest possible way before the ratepayets for their decision. As a rule, we are opposed to conces•ions of this nature to private com ' panies, and in the crude proposals so j far put forward it seems to us that the \ proposed company is to be taken largely on trust. Still, the peisoDal > character of Mr Oadman will command \ confidence, and he will, we may assume, be found ready to submit a scheme in detail if there is reasonable prospect of agreement. The development of our iron deposits and their manufacture would have most beneficial and farreaching effects upon the future of the colony, and we hope that the efforts of Mr Cidman and his colleagues will be erowtifcd with complete success. If that success can be achieved without concessions, so much the better, but if no'", thtn it may be said that the manufactuie of iron stands amongst th' first of the coming industries of the colony to which concessions may be mad , be they from the local body, the Stat , or both."