CORRESPONDENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 1661, 15 January 1895, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE TIMARU HARBOUR QUESTION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMARU HERALD. Sir.— Your paper has during past weeks been deluged with correspondence on the above question. Some of it was anonymous which is much to be regretted for some appear to use the cloak as a . means for making gross persbnal attacks on theiropponents. One of them a few weeks ago wrote a lot of ill-natured twaddle which certainly did not do justice to the present Board, for whatever m^ay chance to be their walk m life it cannot be denied that they sacrifice a goodly portion of their time m attending to ratepayers' business. Without m anyway going over the old ground I would wish to remind ratepayers that the present members were especially: '< returned to carry out an extension ' from the most desirable point of departure, whether curve or end of breakwater. . As two Commissions have decisively condemned extension from the curve, it j now only remains for ratepayers and the ( Board to decide whether they will sanction an extension from the- end of the breakwater of 1, 2, or 300 f t; or as an alternative they have the' pet scheme of the late Board majority to continue the | eternal shifting of shingle ; a scheme which ratepayers m the past so effectually resisted and rejected. There can be no question about the present Board having acquitted themselves of the task thrust upon them by ratepayers, for they have fruitlessly endeavoured to obtain the sanction of Commissions to extend from the curve, but the engineers couldnot approve of it ; and now it is evident that an extension from the curve is impracticable and out of the question. . It is for the ratepayers to decide the policy their representatives shall pursue. - It is useless to disguise the fact that the ( present position of ratepayers is entirely ' due to the extravagant folly of the late board, m spending the accumulated £20,000 on what is virtually a useless , encumbrance. Had they not done so ' there can be no doubt the £20,000 would have paid for an extension of some 300 odd feet and kept the shingle m check

m til such time as its' equivalent (the h-edge) w.ill be- laid up along with dll thf )ther liseless" machinery. Something vill have to be done and that speedily," 'or. to allow matters to drift would be ;he height of folly. The ratepayers ire masters of the situation as the aresent members- have evidently no lesire to emulate the example of the ate Board, who treated them as con:emptible and practically as little better :han fools. Whatever line of action the ratepayers decide, upon, they have only io take steps to elect capable and reliable men to represent, and cany out their ivishes. But one thing is absolutely lecessaiy, viz., that ratepayers should ipprqach the whole question m a ;calm judicial spmt, for it is undeniably the interest" ol all that the harbour should be safe and secure. So, evidently, to ittain that : end the object ol the ratepayers should be a maximum of safety and security to the harbour at a minimum of cost to the district. • I am, etc., George J. Wreathall. Geraldine, January 12th, 1895.