AUCKLAND HARBOUR. 'A LOAN OFFERED.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 58, 6 September 1905, Page 7

AUCKLAND HARBOUR. 'A LOAN OFFERED.

[BY TELEOXAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, sth September. The Resident Secretary at Wellington of the Australian Mutual Provident Society wrote to the Auckland Harbour Board stating that he had received intimation that the Board could offer thft society another £100,000 of the Board's debentures in the beginning of next year, on the same terms as £50,000 was granted. The society's principal board had sanctioned the advance of a further sum of £100,000 on the same terms as the existing loan. The chairman said in the meantime the Board had plenty^of moneyavailable and «at his suggestion the matter was deferred until buck time as the Board required a loan. At a special meeting of tho Works and Tariff Committee of the Harbour Board the matter of alterations in the Devoaport Empowering Bill now, before PatTiamenb was brought up for discussion. The Bill was drafted with the approval of the Harbour Board, and that body iaserled a clause to the effect that no riparian rights were to attach to land to b« reclaimed. The Bill passed the House of Representatives in its original form, bul tho Legislative Council was induced to Strike out the clause prohibiting the riparian rights. The chairman of the Board consulted the Board's solicitors, and they assured him that the alteration wan material. At a meeting of the Board to-night Mr. W. J. Napier said the thanks of the Board were due to the Premier for his timely action in postponing the Bill. The Board desired to treat tho, people of Devonport generously bj; giving them Wdthout cost a recreation reserve, and it was mast regrettable that an attempt had been made to impose obligations on the Board about whjch they ,had never been consulted. He "moved :~- "That the Premier and city members 'ba forthwith informed thaMho Harbour Board desires that if clause 4 be not pre-. served in the Bill the Bill should be .opposed at all its stages." The motion wat I carried unanimously.