MR. HARRIS' POLICY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12881, 30 April 1913, Page 8

MR. HARRIS' POLICY.

REPLY TO MESSRS. BASSETT, MURRAY AND WILLIAMS.

To the Editor.

Sir.—Mr. Bassett calls me to account for a discrepancy in estimates made by the Harbour' Bo"ard: Engineer. My,' reply is that the estimates are the inspired statements published on June 26th, 1911, in the Chamber of "Commerce annual report (presumably for the benefit of the country readers.) Therefore, I am not responsible. Mr. Bassett says I ought to know that the £125,000 loan is only for a part of thoir scheme. To this I iask: Where is the unexpended balance to come from that Messrs. Bassett and Murray say they will spend on the channel when the first loan to be raised will not, thoy iacknowledge, complete their first scheme. Sir. 1 attach a copy of the Harbour Board's advertisement in tho "New Zealand Dairyman" supplement of March 20th, 1913, which contains a plan of the proposed new works, also a type of the vessel which, this company will load *at Wanganui. The plan is printed as drawn to a scale of 300 ft. to the inch. If you will run your rule over the plan you --will find it works out that they are going to load steamers 4800 r feet long at the Heads, where the entrance is only six hundred feot wide. I ask you, how is that for discrepancy? These gentleman in thoir wisdom havb seen fit to sneer at the trial of what they term "a stakes and straw remedy." The bare facts are ns follows: —A plebiscite of the people .was taken by the "Herald." Some 2,200 persons voted that it "bo given a trial. I, with others, asked the Board to expend a sum not exceeding £200 in giving it a trial for scourino: the flats. My reason for so doing was £his. Some 28 years ago a bankrupt estate fell into the hands of the well-known merchants.' Messrs. Johnston and Co., Wellington. They appointed me to manage it. After inspection, I asked to bo allowed, amongst other expenditure, to spend £20 in sticks and straw, i.e.. stakes, flax refuse, fibre and wire. This waa so applied that in one month I sxicceeded in turning the current imd tho

river, scoured out a I6ft. Berth/for orie of the steamers trading here to- ; day, and loaded her monthly as long jas required. In proof of this I am in j possession of a testimonial from the \ sumo firm's name complimenting me on the success I attained for them. There are many things Mr. Bassett never dreamed of. If ho had been told 20 years ago that it would be possible to send messages to Australia without wires he would no doubt have been just as^ scornful. In .these days of rapid scientific and mechanical development, it is necessary to advance with the times. There are now dredges capable' of..lifting IQOO tons of spoil per hour, and discharging it by pipe lines half a mile distant and depositing the same 14ft. above water level on "the banks. •It is - plain to your readers why we cannot now wail for stakes and straw, although we. would he better off than the Israelites in Egypt. The gentlemen of the Board throw contempt on ■" the platform formerly advocated, yet they have adopted at least three of the planks, viz., the appointment of a resident engineer, procuring a dredge, anu "extending , wharfage accommodation, and they now adopt the suggestion made by me -in evidence before the Harbour Board-Commission. I recommended that tho Empowering ■ Loan Bill for £250,0p0 contain a clause.that • the sum be authorisedin two polish the /first for £100.000, and-then thebal-'. ance when evidence of the benefits ot the first portion -were demonstrated : .The only divergence from this is that ■the Board made the first portion £125,----000, -so you see these gentlemen iart» not above adopting some of the planksOi the benighted opposition. '; Sir, I toed not dwell1 on Messrs. Murray and : Bassett's ridicule of the practicability" of the dredge "Ruby. Seddon',' dealing:with,the work-.wo want done first. We ,havo the. evidence of Captain Powell, the master now' in charge of her ana who formerly iraded. here. He ' has stated she is'"suitable for our work, :a«a'is "equipped -to punip the spoil ip the banks, of the river and not dump Lit_down a few. chains away. Further her .discharge is 75 per cent, of solid |to 2o per cent, of water, Imt Messrs. llassett, Murray and Co. prefer gold : dredges,;; pumping 20 per cent;-solid to ! !80 i)er cent, water. I heard ia remark i to r d«'iy by a well'-knbwn resident. He | had been reading on some of the tomol ; ..stones m our local cemetery-the names or those who were leading citizens ten I -years ago, but had expected to see big vessels trading here. If we don't change j the* old Board there are many of us hying even to-day,', who won't S(Mj tin. big-vesselS . here^-ln ;- conclusifm '■•■ '^ pbftit dn«al'my --n.rs#flfti?^ !.|ha^insti^ct^n*s^oßld'-bev^iv;effib^ !®^&SW#>^w,hpeyeri|; rSspSfe BPP ff?T I%i <!«l*ifi^^out of^i|i«vSrkr' #^5\# h^ 'channeK^b^tween IM jleads ahcl "th,e town whaif .dredged dut as . quickly .and. efficiently and as deeply as ls^found practicable.. The hiring or , purchase of an up-to-date dredge will be _ controlled by the rileins available and the;terms offering. By this, some hnancial return will be given.•; at once; tor the money expended, and will ereasp. the trade passing 'through! oiSr' port ; arid with the increased■-wharfage" and ship dues provide thfr additiorial money for interest on'the loan for the larger harbour. .On : these lines oril.y can we be safe from the possible blight ot a harbour rate our country neighbours are so scared of. On these grounds I solicit the support bf those electors who favour dredging the river channel. Yours,, etc., ■ A. HARRIS. '