OUR HARBOUR.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XX, Issue 5746, 16 October 1885, Page 2

OUR HARBOUR.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — I have noticed in the statistics of the t-hipping of the world that ships drawing 18 foet of water are denominated deep seagoiug vessels of from 20(0 to 3000 tons burden. Kuch are the ships which enter the artificial harbour of Newcastle, in New South Wales, For years there has existed in Wauganui a small coterie of men who have systematically kept their shoulder to the sea-gates, as it were, of our harbour, aud prevented fche ingress of deep sea-going steamers and other ve^selo. Now- some ot these men have not only taken advantage of tht> Government system of education for their children, bub they have also laid out considerable monies besides in giving them all the finish they could get. All this is perfectly right ; bat it is singular to say that these men, while they are making these efforts, do not observe that in excluding ocean-going vessels they are shutting out a large modicum of the rarest education from their own children, and also from the rising generation und p-eneral inhabitants ot the place. Look at the mechanism, within and without, of a fine steamer of 2500 tons, and say if there is not education in her. Commerce and education and civilisation have come down to us, hand-in- hand, aa our birthright, from the first dawn of hi&tory, k rom Egypt to Phceuicia and classic Athens and classic London, aud co on, if we would but open our gates for them. When our harbor is completed — and completed it will be not long hence, in spite of this small coterie of men, we fchall have attained to the proud position of being in immediata and close contact with all the nations of the earth j with classic Europe, with America, and wifch Asia ; and monthly, and I may say daily, the latest finish, the very acme of civilisation will rido in upon the waters of our l.oble harbor, and be rolled to our feet on the sh >ivs of our beautiful river. — I am, &c, Pkogbbss.

The Victorian Government intend shortly to bring forward a Bill, framed on exactly the same lines as the Girl's Piotection Act recently passed by the Imperial Parliament, which raises the consenting age from thirteen, and makes it a misdemeanor to seduce a girl under sixteen. It also gives the police incteaued power iv the suppression of brothels.