The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1911. HARBOUR MATTERS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13334, 24 March 1911, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1911. HARBOUR MATTERS.

The ratepayers and the public generally of Wanganui and adjoining districts are auxious’y awaiting a pronouncement by the members of the Harbour Board concerning their proposals for further harbour improvements. So far the opinions of several members of the Board have' been expressed on various points, but the Board as a whole has placed no definite proposals before the public, though we have been given to understand that the chairman (Mr J. B. Murray) has been deputed to do so. The question raised by Mr Hatrick about dredging a deep-water channel to town and providing berthing and turning accommodation between Putiki and the gas works is a disturbing element, and is causing considerable discussion. Mr Hat-' rick has suggested 'that it would cost very little more to provide a basin near town than it would at Castlecliff, and he argues that the land reclaimed, to be used afterwards for warehouses, etc., would more than compensate for the extra outlay. These are questions that should be threshed out, and that at once, in view of the Harbour Board election within a few weeks. Mr Hatriok’s active and practical connection with the mercantile trade of thq town entitles him to speak with some little authority, and we think the chairman of the Harbour Board should direct the Board’s engineer to submit a report on the subject. For ourselves, we would be delighted to sec the big steamers, coming up to town, but we are not prepared to support an expensive scheme that would jeopardise the harbour, especially now that we are within measurable distance of getting a deepwater port at Castlecliff. It is patent that the outside moles must be further extended, that an up-to-date sea-going dredge for use on the bar and in the river must be secured, that provision must be made for the steamers loading frozen meat, wool, etc., at Castlecliff to turn, and that further dredging of the river between the Castlecliff wharf and the bar and in the channel up to town should be undertaken. The improvement of the bar must take precedence, and the point is what sum should, be expended in deepening the channel up to town for coastal and intercolonial

boats of a larger draught than now trade to the port. And how is the money to be raised? These are matters that should be gone into without delay, and carefully considered and discussed. It would he a thousand pities to introduce any element at this juncture that will prejudice the success of a venture that seems assured. All are dcsirons'of doing the. best for the port, and differences must be sunk to secure the best. Mr T. B. Williams has made some practical suggestions re future works, and we commend them to the consideration of our readers. Ho thinks that the amount which would have to be raised to give effect to Mr Hatriek’s suggestion would bo a complete barrier at the present time, and he suggests that the question of a dock or turning basin at Wanganui may be considered later. This is what he thinks is the course that should be pursued : (1) The carrying out of the outside moles to such a point that it will bo possible to maintain a channel of from 25 to 3(1 feet of water on the bar at low water.STlio procuring of an up-to-date ge. (3) Constructing a turning basin at Castlecliff. (4) Dredging a channel from the bar to the turning basin. (5) Further opening out of the quarries so that the output of stone may be doubled. (6) in procuring the additional plant that niay be necessary to carry out the work expeditiously. (7) In further improving the inner channel up to the town wharf. To "ive effect to this suggestion it will be necessary to promote a Bill giving the power to borrow .£200,000, on the security of a rate, and defining the rating area. My suggestion is that the rating area should include the borough of Wanganui, the borough of Wanganui East, Castlocliff and Gonville (the capital value of these is about £2,837,007), also the counties of Wanganui and Waitotara (the capital value of which is £3,107,321). The interest on .£200,000 at 4j per cent., plus j- per cent, sinking fund, would be £IO,OOO, and 1 am of opinion that the boroughs and town districts should guarantee twothirds of the amount, viz., £66G7, and the counties one-third, being £3333—a rate of about 2-3rds of a penny in the £ on the capital value of the boroughs and town districts, and }d in the £ on the counties. What would this mean to a farmer who has 300 acres which are valued at £3O per acre? The amount he would be asked to guarantee would be £9 7s Gd per annum. As there arc few, if any, of the farmers valued at this price for rating purposes, iam quoting an extreme case. In my opinion, the revenue of the Board by the time the works are completed will be unite sufficient to pay the whole amount of 1 lie interest and sinking fund. If members are returned who are prepared to ndve effect to this or similar proposals, and Hie necessary authority is given to raise the money as stated, the liners will be berthed in the river discharging and receiving cargo within five years from the present time. In providing a turning basin at Castlecliff it will not in any way interfere with tile question of the dock at Wanganui, as provision must be made to ship our frozen meat and dairy produce there.