The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1907. MORE WATER.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13276, 3 May 1907, Page 4

The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1907. MORE WATER.

It is to ba hoped that the remarks made by the commander of the Corinthic. at the opening of the band room yesterday... afternoon, /will not escape the notice of the Harbour Board. We do not suppose, that Timaru aspires to be the concentration hai'bour ... for the exports. of the 'South Island, and we know from, .the speech made by Mi' Robin at the: mayoral installation on Wednesday'evening that any attempt to cut into the trade of 'D line din will be met with speedy reprisals. But without launching any ambitious schemesfor the realisation of the Hon. Mr Mc- ; Nab's visionary proposal, or for the capture of extraneous trade which would lead us, into trouble with Mr Robin and his . colleagues, Timaru has work enough to keep her busy for the present in providing' for the demand's of her own; increasing trade..' Deeper water was. the text of Captain David's little homily yesterday afternoon, and deeper water, not fifty years hence, but as soon as. it can lie obtained. In this respect it appears that so far''..from anticipating the demands of ■shipping, the Harbour Board has barely kept pace with them, and it would be in no condition to do even that_muoh if the persistent advocacjr of Mr Baynes had not induced the Board to procure the powerful dredging machine which is capable of providing all the water that the commanders of steamships like the Corinthic are asking for, but which, as Captain David' replied to an interjection, is making only poor progress towards 'the desrred' end. It was Mr Young, we.believe, who on a previous visit .of the' Corinthic or the Athenic, expressed the opinion that these. 12,000 ton vessels were ahsad of the requirements of Timaru, but the very'fact that such boats are coming here is its own proof that trade developments render their visits desirable, and even, necessary, -.. and it is plainly the '. duty of '. the Harbour Board to attend to reasonable representations made by their commanders. Such attention becomes all the.easier when the advice of our naval/ visitors ■ corresponds in everything except in .point of celerity,' with the policy to "which the Board is already committed."• The bucket dredge was obtained-on the advice of Mr Baynes to deepen the water in the harbour and tocut the necessary Approach channel. /Captain David's speech show's; that' the .dredge Avas not obtained a day before it was , required, but he went further than that in commenting upon the slow rate \at which it is performing tha task for wliich it was. procured. The. Board, will no doubt take this into .'■ consideration '■ next Friday • when they meet tci discuss/amongst other mat; ters, the working of. the dredge. Captain David T sinrply corroborates what the resident engineer has already been, at pains to impress upon the Board—that the dredge is falling a long way,short of the results which; he promised when he recommended her purchase. ' In view of Captain David's request for deeper water at an early date, the. Board will be bound to give its serious ; consideration to the reports in -vvhieh Mr Baynes has shown why the promised returns ar'o not being realised, and to the system which he recommends in order that deeper water may' be/provided in an expeditious and economical manner. Captain David's remarks could scarcely have come at a more opportune time, and we liope they, will prove of material assistance to Mr Baynes in, the disheartening task ha has had to get the dredging.work put on a "Satisfactory system, «