Look to the Future.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13340, 31 March 1911, Page 2

Look to the Future.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—l would like to draw attention to a few facts that may be worth while at this opportune)time and especially when 1 tae such strange views expressed by some of our smartest and most progressiva townsmen to harbour matters. Why should v,-e not have our harbour, even ii' it cost ms another .£250,000 or more? and I think there is a lot, to recommend in the plans of the engineer—only he does n-Sz go far enough. Why doesn't he a sk for a dock of 30 acres or more in area at Castlecliff (we shall want it) and a ferro-concrete wharf there, with an up-to-date method of electric cranes, etc., capstans, and overhead trolleys iov the quick mechauieal handling of cargo and coal? Castlecliff is the, only harbour Wanganui can make & successful one (and we don't want two perhaps as at present, neither any good}, for what ships passing tlif> pore ,would call unless they could do it quickly, say, when bound to Sydney, they would be berthed at tho Beads and ready to leave again by the time they had navigated the river to the upper harbour. Then, where are our stores? We have not sufficient room in town fi>those v'e now possess, and it will not accommodate any more unless we go and utilise Putiki, and I believe Castlecliff is as handy to town as is Putiki (and the poor old bridge). Then the railway yards are at present inadequate. They can't enlarge them where they are now situated. As there is plenty of room at Castlecliff, why not there ? Lastly, why should we have our town spoilt by a row of wool stores, bond stores, factories, etc., in the main streets, as it were? We have now got the opportu-' nity—a real good one—to make our city the best in the Dominion. We can see how the other towns are cramped for room and how they have to make way for the ever increasing business of handling exports and imports and the manufacturing of goods. Let us make our port the centre of these industries, and make our city a city beautiful. There are many who can plan many improvements, and one is, I think, a levelling of the lino between Marton and Wanganui, with a deviation to bring the line through Wanganui East and across the river at Hatrick's landing stage and on-to the present station, then through to the docks at Castlecliff, where the yards will be and then to Kai lwi, via the beach there, by avoiding the big Brunswick hill. Wanganui must; also have an inland lino to some point on the Maiii Trunk, via Eaetihi. Then with roads and bridges and about 100,000 good immigrants to settle on the now unoccupied back-blocks, there will be no room for fallow deer and those conservative humbugs who want everything, but won't part with a nickel. Wanganui is progressive; let us go in and make her more so. What can be done for hundreds may in 100 years cost millions. Lot us live for the future as well as the present. They are wisest who look most ahead.—l am, etc.,

"WANGANUI BOY.” Harbour Board Quarries, Wanganui River, March 29.