HARBOUR LOAN BILL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7113, 10 July 1886, Page 3

HARBOUR LOAN BILL.

DEBATE ON SECOND READING. Thb Hawera Star gives a rather fuller report of the conclusion of the debate on the sscond reading of the Harbour Loan Bill than we published yesterday.

The discussion on the second reading of the New Plymouth Horbour Loan Bill was resumed on Thursday afternoon.

Mr. Sutter hoped the House would allow the bill to pass.

Mr. Peacock thought the House should □ot take it for granted that such measures ought to be allowed to pass. The time would come when the land fnnd would cease, and weight ought to be given to the fact that the taxation was very heavy. The matter required to be looked into minutely.

The amendment to read the bill that day six months was lost.

Cn the motion for the second reading, Mr. Bryce said that this was a matter of colonial concern. In a case of this kind the burden laid upon the promoters of the bill, and they should give very good proof for the necessity of borrowing, and he did not think that had been done. The trade of the district was not large, and there were two harbors. He considered that there was ample accommodation for all the present trade requirements. Ultimately, no doubt, there would be a large trade spring up, but that was in the distant future, and need not now be considered. The boundaries of the district did not appear satisfactory. It was not fair to tar the people round about Waitara for a hurbor for New Plymouth, because the Waitara people had a harbor of their own, which they desired to develop. He thought it would be better to have the matter put off for a time.

Mr. Turnbull said if they refused Ihe bill it would do a great injury to the district. If the work could not be completed the whole thing might be thrown upon the Government. He was opposed to all new works of this kind, but he would support the completion of this one.

Mr. G. Richardson said there could be no reason for excluding Hawera and the land about Opunake from taxation for the loan. Looking to the very large amount o£ money that had been spent on tho work, they would have to draw the line between caution and expediency. He was not certain that if tho work was carried out as proposed it would not be necessary to carry on dredging, and that the bill did not provide for. He would vote for the second reading, but considered certain amendments should be made in the bill.

Mr. Montgomery said it was probable lhat this work would ultimately be thrown upon the colony, and it behoved the House to carefully consider whether there should be a further loan sanctioned.

Mr. Rolleston said he would like not to vote on this bill, but as it was desirable he should vote, he would give his vote against the bill, on the ground that borrowing for Buch workß was a colonial concern, and not a matter of local concern. He did not think the colony waß entitled to increased indebtedness when there was not a prospect of the district benefited being able to meet the charge out of local revenue. He did not think New Plymouth could bear further takation. He thought the New Plymouth people ought now to stay their hand in regard to the harbour works.

Mr. Samuel said Colonel Trimble had unearthed all the skeletons of the past in dealing with the bill, but had not made out ! a case against the bill. The hon. gentleman had wilfully blinded himself with regard to the evidence given in committee. The £60,000 was desired to make useful the work on which £200,000 had already been spent. The money was not required to carry out the plan of Sir John Coode or to make n harbor of refuge. That would come in time. But the money now required was for the purpose of enabling vessels to come to the breakwater with Hafety. As to Colonel Trimble's assertion about the imports and exports, that gentleman had not taken the figures for the present year, which showed a very different result in regard to New Plymouth from that ntatcd by the hen. gentleman. Ho had nothing to say against the Wnitara. It was a very useful little river, but could not be made serviceable for vessels of the size of the Hawea and Penguin. The reference to the certificate about the Clansman tiading between Waitara and Sydney was a misrepresentation, lie read a telegram from tho captain of the Gairloch Btating that she had been detained in the Waitara river owing to want of water, and had subsequently miHScd the Sydney steamer. With regard to the export oi! butter last year, the export had umountcd to £71,000. Had that gono direct to Sydney, there would havo been a saving of Id per lb, or £9000 ; sufficent to pay three times tho interest on the lonn. He accused Colonel Trimble of want of candour and reliability respecting the revenue of tho Harbor Board. The revenue had very largely increased during the last five years, but tho hon. gentleman iook good care to conceal that fact from the House. The reseivcs, too, would soon biing in a large levenuo. lie believed that the increased value in property would in n few years reduce tho amount of the rate. lie accused the Colonel of having been put up by large land holders to oppose the bill. He Loped tho HouKe would give the peoplo the right of saying whether they would raißc this money, if they fchould consider it neccEsary in tho interests o£ the district.

The second reading was agreed to Ly 3D to 13.

The Bill wuh ordered to bo [committed tbatduytweok.