THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MAY 18, 1895. TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2817, 18 May 1895, Page 1

THE Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, MAY 18, 1895. TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The Timaru Harbor Board “ storm in a teapot” has blown itself out, and serenity, unanimity, and peace have once more settled down on the deliberations of that august body. He who had been, from time almost immemorial, regarded as the evil genius of the New Zealand railways, has come like an angel of peace to the Timaru Harbor Board, and, with a few strokes of his pen, reunited the recalcitrant elements of that body, till, as one of them expressed it, “ they agreed for once in their corporate life.” Mr Maxwell might say “ I came, I saw, I conquered.” Before his practical common sense the board bowed its stiff neck, and felt itself under the influence of master. How could it have been otherwise I Mr Maxwell called travelling shingle “ detritus^ ” and the silt “talus of finer material,” and still the board gazed, and “ still the wonder grew, that one small head could carry all ha knew.” Discord melt ed away before the wonder caused by the learning thus exhibited, and a unanimous desire to know the meaning of *• detritus” and “ talus of finer material” seized them. They found it out, and then they felt that the travelling shingle question was as dead a- Julius Caesar, and that henceforth their discussions would deal with the more classic subject of “detritus stealing northward under water,” and “ talus of finer material moving in suspension.” It was only to be expected that the music of such classical terms should exercise a soothing influence over the feelings of Mr Wreathall, “you understand,” and make Mr Evans forget for the time being the ancient history of the breakwater. The real state of mind of the board was bluntly expressed by Mr Jonas, who said he “ did not know whether it was right or wrong,” while Mr Manchester was so overcome with emotion that he felt an impulse to pray. It was delightful to see the dawn of peace breaking so brighTy after a storm prolonged over several years. Putting aside the little pedantry exhibited in the needless use of these words, we have nothing but commendatory terms to apply to Mr Maxwell’s report. His remedy is so simple that if it had not been suggested by Mr Maxwell one would leel inclined to doubt whether it was genuine. But knowing him as all New Zealand knows him, no one will doubt that ho believes he is right. One thing which can be said for Mr Maxwell is that there is not u bit of a lime-server about him; he always says what he means, and does what ho thinks fit, regardless of who likes oi dislikes it. That being so, one must accept his advice as honest, and wo are glad that the board has decided to give it a fair trial. There is a good deal of practical common sense exhibited in this report. Mr Maxwell took soundingsat several distances outside the breakwater and discovered coarse sand and shingle lying at the bottom of the sea. Ho looked across to Caroline Bay, remembered that it was not so long since the waves dashed up under the railway viaduct at Whales’ Creek, and then concluded that “ detritus” and “talus of finer material” were travelling across the entrance to the harbor at an enormous rate. He next remembered that whenever a sharp headland extends abi nptly into the sea anywhere along the coast no shingle lodges there, but is swept along to where the waves break with less viol.me; on it. Those facts led him to the conclusion that probably more “detritus” and “ talus of finer material*’ are passing the entrance at the present time than is intercepted by the breakwater, and that it was not settling down in the entrance to the harbor. For these rea-ons Mr Maxwell advised the board to ivt the travelling shingle i ravel, but keep the entrance to the harbor dredged. He showed that (heir dredge was quite equ -1 to tint work The (hedge would easily remove tons of stuii per vear. v I ioh meant a depth of throe feet o\e ■ i.i. of b'd acres. That w ml 1 be lU'.oo lean woliio Wo i>.|Uire 1 to keep til,' Ji ii hoi' n; vigable. V* e Itrmlv Ovir-ve. that Mr Maxwell U qu'V 1(11 i consequently has boned ino liii.Kmity. The adoption of his plan will at any rate tend i„ lessen the necessity for dt edging inside the harooi., for when the breakwater is backed up, as tc soon v*il, he, by shingle, tile silt which at pr.se t percolates through it will cease. The silt | can then only come in through the eutraicc, and when that is being e mj linually dredged very little of it will

come iuto the harbor. It appears to us, therefore, that if dredging is properlydirected at the points indicated in Mr Maxwell’s report there will be no difficulty in coping with the shingle, and that the entrance can easily be kept sufficiently deep to enable vessels to enter and leave the port in perfect safety. At any rate, we have never shared in the hysterical fear exhibited by some people that the moment the shingle turuvd the bend the harbor was doomed. This, of course, is nonsense. If thousands of tons of shingle bad settled in the entrance the appliances at the disposal of the Harbor Board could easily remove it. That being so, no risk is incurred in the adoption of Mi Maxwell’s report. A few years will test it, and if successful, as we firmly believe it will be, credit will be given to Mr Maxwell for having solved in a very sim ole way the great problem which has agitated South Canterbury for several years. As for the extension from the bond, we cannot see the good of it. Wo have often before said that the only object which could be gained by such an extension is the enlargement of the harbor. As the present harbor is large enough apparently for the requirements of the present generation, and probably the next one, we should advise the board to settle down to Mr Maxwell’s scheme and try it thoroughly before incurring any further liabilities.

ARMENIAN ATROCITIES. The Armenian atrocities are only a repetition of the Bulgarian atrocities of over twenty years ago. Then, us now, thousands of harmless, innocent people wore ruthlessly murdered by Turkish soldiers, till Europe, shocked by the brutalities indulged iu, had to intervene. Europe is again intervening, and not before it was time. A writer iu the London Times, who has personally investigated the affair has given a horrifying description of what occurred. The Armenians are Christians, and are consequently hated by the Turks. With the view of their complete extinction, the Government of Turkey gave oral and written instructions to the Kurds to plunder certain villages. Kurds are robber tribes living in the vicinity, who had frequently plundered the Armenians before. Some of the Kurds refused, but others obeyed, aud of course the Armenians had to defend themselves. This gave the Government an excuse to maintain law aud order. An army was soon ou the spot, aud the Armenians were called upon to surrender. They did so on being promised an amnesty. About 41 of the leading men of the district gave themselves up, and were bayouetted into a french cut for the purpose, and covered over before life was extinct. Men, women, aud children were ruthlessly cut down, no one being spared, and very few escaped. The wife of the richest man in the village had been confined the night before, and when others were trying to escape he remained at her side. He was taken iu her room, her baby laid on her breast, aud both were hacked to pieces before his eyes. He was next des patched, and in his shirt, which was afterwards recognised, 20 bayonet holes were found. His sister-in-law, a woman of groat beauty, was treated most brutally. These are only a few facts of (he frightful work which Turkish soldiers, with the connivance of the Turkish Government, have beau indulging iu for the last two years, and yet Europe has done nothing but look ou, and protest. This is a disgrace to Europe, aud more especially to England, which exercises considerable influence over Turkey. Russia would have subjugated Turkey long ago only for the jealousies of the other Bowers. The idea is to keep Turkey as a buffer state between Russia aud other European countries, and maintain the Dardenelles open for commerce. This jealousy has kept the Ottoman empire in existence so far, but each outbreak, such as the atrocities just referred to, is followed by a curtailment of the Sultan’s territory, aud it is to be hoped that the day is not far distant when the European Powers will parcel it out amongst them. The treatment Christians receive under Turkish rule is terrible to contemplate, and there can be no doubt that civilisation would be advanced and the jause of man and God served by the complete overthrow of this brutal Government.

PRICE OF WHEAT. The figures given by the RegistrarGeneral in reference to our food supply are rather startling. Briefly stated, he says that we have not enough wheat to feed our own population, and that probably we shall have to import about half a million bushels of it. Victoria has none to spare, so the probabilities are that there wi'l be a sharp and sudden rise in the price of wheat this year. The news that there is a shortage will induce buyers to lay in stocks, and the settlors will undoubtedly hold out for better prices. We advise our readers not to be in any great hurry to sell just now, but at the same time not to hold it too long, or look for fancy prices. Wheat may very soon be brought from America or elsewhere, and bring down the market again. Unfortunately we are afraid most of lh.) farmers have sold their wheat non, and that the rise will not do general good. The merchants who have bought cheaply will alone profit by it. However, by all accounts there is a shortage all over the world, and the general indications favor good prices for next year’s crops. Wo are glad to hear that farmers are going in heavily for cropping this year, for there can be very little doubt that next harvest’s crop will sell well.