WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16504, 4 August 1919, Page 5

WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD.

A, DEMAND FOB MOKE REV EX EE. Bar Press Association. AA’ESTFORT, August 2. Tho fr uncial straits imposed on the Westport Harbour Board unde; clause 105 of the Finance Aid, 1915. which leaves the board to meet all increases of wages and increased cost of material out of ordinary revenue, end gives the 21 per cent, increase of charges made hy tho Government (now amounting to £'50.000), and intended to meet these abnormal charges, ns a clear gift to the Hailway Department, is having a crippling effect on the revenues of the Harbour Hoard, and is hampering the development of local industry. It is necessary in order that a better class of coal may bo produced, that tho market be found for the. slack coal, and the market tho coal companies depended upon is tho bunkering of vessels. The board, however, owing to the restriction on its revenue, is not able to keep tho development works going so as to cater for the bunkering of largo ships, hcnco the whole industry is suffering. This is hampering tho board's finances, coupled with the complete holding up of the construction of the Duller Gorge railway connection, the. largest field of coal, in New Zealand. and is causing serious unrest in Westport. The chairman of the Harbour Board indicated at a recent meeting that it may bo found necessary to r esort to public meetings to bring homo to the Government the monstrous injustice that is being done to the board and, through it, to the district.