The Taranaki herald.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7112, 9 July 1886, Page 2

The Taranaki herald.

PISSIiKhEB ilh'.Ll. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1886. ♦ The New Plymouth Harbour Board Loan Bill has passed its second readiug in the Lower House by a very large majority. It is evident from this that some of the members, at least, were determined to put down any unfair obstruction. Colonel Trimble's longwinded speech evidently failed to convince them as to the truthfulness of his statements. It matters, however, very little now whether the bill is placed on the Statute Book or not, for the arrangements which were made for carrying on the work by means of a new loan have been upset.andthelevyingoffcheratehasbeen precipitated, by,the antagonistic action of Colonel Trimble, Mr. T. Bayly, Mr. J. Elliot, and the Hawera Star. The settlers now know who they have to blame ; and no' excuses that oan be made to try to convince them to the contrary will be of any avail, for the facts are too patent. Our Hawera contemporary, we are sorry to find, has not had the courtesy to acknowledge its error in accusing ug of advocating the appropriation of the land fund, but tells its readers in yesterday's issue, almost in our own words, that "there is money eaough for the Board to build the wharf and extend the breakwater another 100 feet." Our contemporary, no doubt, will not be so hasty in future in taking us up, | and we trust it will not again attribute to us statements we never wrote. According to what Mr. Yorke said at the Harbour Board the other day, the settlers down his way do not relish being rated. No one does ; but tho works at the breakwater cannot be left in the xinfinished state they are, and the Board are therefore perfectly justified in using the money they have in hand for building the jetty and continuing the breakwater a hundred or so feet further out. The objection urged by Mr. Yorke to tho use of this money was — that when the deputation from the Harbour Board visited Hawera they led the settlers to believe there would be some money available for paying the sinking fund and interest, and that consequently there would be no necessity for levying a rato for four or five years. The member from Hawera should however have had the good taste to have stated that when the deputation told tho meeting that, the chairman also said it would be on condition that they obtained a further loan. The money to bo used is really part and parcel of the loan, and therefore it is far more legitimate to spend it in the construotion of harbour works than in devoting it to any other purpose. The Hawera settlers will really benefit more by the breakwater than seven-eighths of the people of New Plymouth ara likely to. The former have cattlo and produce to ship away, and the more convenient l;h j port r-i made the lowerwill be the -Trtvglt charges. With the New Plymouth harbour, when the cattle whaif is built, there will be no fear of the steamers being detained as is too often the case at Waitara ; and consequently breeders will be able to

depend on getting their stock off with promptness in time to catch the Auckland and Sydney markets. It is for this reason that the Hawera settlers should lend their aid in making the harbour as convenient for the shipping trade as possible. There, however, appears to be a considerable amount of selfishness exhibited on the part of the Hawera s-fc'ers, if we are to judge them by the paper which represents their district. A liberal spirit shown towards this end of the district would bring about a more correlative feeling between the two communities. We have tried to inspire » friendly foeling on this side, but our contemporary misrepresents us, and does its best to oppose everything that emanates from New Plymouth. It is a very injudicious policy to pursue, and iv the end is bound to injure their district without doing auy harm to us. We must say we think Mr. Samuel ' deserves the thanks of the electors for the manner he has fought the battle for New Plymouth in the House against the crowd of selfish, antagonistic individuals who have left no stone unturned to calumniate the settlers here. He got the majority of the House with him and carried his point, and we must congratulate him on his success.

♦ The difficulty of* preserving the native forests of - New Zealand when sublet to the^ new influence of 'European settlement is well-known. The original shrubs and trees gradually fade away before the white man,- and the white man's domestic animals. The coast was at one period fringed with native shrubbery, whioh has long since disappeared owing to the destructive agency of cattle, which graze on the young trees and break down the shelter which protected the young growth. In other lands the same experience has been realised. When St. Helena was dis1 ooyered, some four hundred years ago, it was oovered with dense forest, add the black ebony tree was very plentiful. When it was occupied by the 1 East Indian Company goats were introduced, and they increased in such numbers that they bid fair to ; destroy the forest by barking the trees and eating up the.young ; plauts. The Company, however, preferred the goats to the native forest, bat the effect of a hundred years of- grazing bo alarmed the authorities that fearing the utter destruction v of the native trees they ordered the animals to be destroyed. Subsequently, European and Australian trees were introduced, also European weeds, and they propagated themselves with such vigor that they soon took possession and completed the extinguishment of the native flora. Broom, brambles, gor_se, and American weeds proved too powerful for the aboriginals, and the willows, poplars, Scotch pines, and Australian forest trees took the place , of the original bush. The same causes are in operation in New Zealand ; the native forest is gradually but surely giviug way to the more vigorous Californian add' Australian treea ; and it seems to be only a question of time when the transformation shall be complete. It is very questionable whether the native forest can be preserved without incurring very great expense, and our elforis should bo devoted more to the introduction of better kiuds of forest trees suited to the wants of the country, than in trying to preserve aboriginal trees which are slow iv growth, less vigorous, and not so valuable for general purposes as othor 1 varieties whioh might gradually take their place.

<gT To- morrow's Budget will coßlain a verbatim report of the debate 0.1 the second reading of the New Plymouth Harbour Bill.' Wo have besn requested to call attention to an alteration in the time of the funeral of tho late Mrs. Bennett, which Ins Jbeen postponed till Sunday nexf, at 3,30 p.m , in order that a relative who is on his way may attend. The s.s. Rotorua leaves Nelson thip afternoon's tide, ia due early to-morrow-morning and saija for Manukau during the afternoon. Captain Edsvin telegraphed at 1.30 p.m. to-day :—": — " Indications of unusually low tides for 24 hqui-s, from one o'clock this afternoon. The future operations at the breakwater will be carried on with a much reduced staff, and probably not more than 34 or 36 hands ivill bo employed. The notices of the Borough rate for the current year aro now bein^ sent out by j tho Town Clerk. There are 500 notices in all. It will bo seen by our correspondent's letter on fourth page that Mr. Robert Pigott, son of the proprietor of tho Urenui Hotel, has met with a painful accident, haviug been kicked in tho mouth with <i horao. As is not now unfrequently tho case, tho Gairloch which left Onehunga for Waitara ciuno on to Now Plymouth to land passongers, being, unablo to cross tho Waitara b r this morning. By tho last trip of the Dorio tho New Plymouth Public Library received upwards of 100 works of fiction. Tho books came to hand on Friday, and aro now on tho shelves. Thero aro now 420 volumes in the library. Tho Recreation Grounds are being cleared up, and a number of young trees are being shifted fiom the beds and placed where they nro required. The present area of tho plantations ip, however, not being extended, as it is found that tho ono care-taker has if anythiug more than he oan do in keeping in order the part which has already been planted. The Ruv. air. Qittos, of tho Weslevnn body, and who camo to Taranaki last monlh with Ruv. Mr. Rameka, in order to bo present at tho meeting of natives at Purihaku, pussod through Now Pl> mouth to-day on his rc;urn north. The Rev. Mr. Gittofl also visited tho Wangunui an 1 Rangitikei districts, with tho object of seeing what arrnngementa could bo made for supplying tho spiritual needs of tho natives along tho coast. Tho result of tho visit hus not boon very encouraging, so far as the natives in Taranaki aro concerned From a two days' stay at Parihaka tho rev. gentleman is convincod that it would be useless to attempt to combat the Te Whiti su >erstiti.>n tLis sido of Patea, but if the ::.v. Mr. lluuika can be spared fro n the Northern Mission it is intended that ho shall bo stationed at Turakina, and work in tho diatriot between Patoaaad Rangitikei.