Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1903.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXi, Issue 6051, 26 August 1903, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1903.

REPRESENTATION ON PUBLIC

BODIES,

The point recently raised, first by the County Council and then by the Borough, j in regard to the present representation of the Ashburtou district on the Lytteltcn Harbour Board, suggests the desirability! of a properly conducted agitation being initiated to secure amendments of the law in other directions. Both County and j Borough Councillors are apparently agreed that increased representation on the Lyttelton Harbour Board is desirable in the interests of the merchants and shippers of this district. A very con3idera le proportion j of the Lyttelton export trade originates in Central Canterbury, and the producers hereabouts are consequently directly interested in the port charges levied by the Harbour Board, which might at any time step in and levy a rate upon the property within the district, should the funds of the Board prove inadequate for the maintenance j of the port, or should works be undertaken'j upon which it would be impossible to nieetl the annual interest and redemption charges.] The Selwyn County Councilj it appears, is desirous of increasing the number of its representatives on the Board to three. At present it nominate* two members and Ashburton is represented by one. If, argue our County Councillors, Selwyn is entitled to three representatives, then we are certainly entitled to two, and the contention, it must be admitted, is, in view of the facts, logical enough. Since 1883 the County has been represented, first by the late Mr E. G. Wrieht, and since that gentlemnn's death by Mr John Lambie, whose nomination by ' the County Council proved very acceptable to the producers of the district. The County Councillors, in deciding to endorse the demand of the Selwyn County Council, by asking the Government to increase the representation of country districts upon thp Lyfctelton Harbor Board, have left the method of appointing additional representatives an open question. And it is here that the Borough Council doubtless sees an opening for securing a representative of its own, Councillors Reid and Thomas nrgir.g that, in the interests of the Borough, it should have the power of returning a member to the Board. So far there does not appenvto be much foftpe pf the increased representation being secured, but ? in view of the altitude assumed by the Government, in regard to elective Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards,- the question arisrs whether it would not be better to .agitate for . np elective Harbour Board. The Hon. W. Hall-.Tone*, replying to a deputation fcom &he Wellington Hospital Board on Monday, endorsed the Hon,, the Premier's utterance? in favour of entrusting the pnople with the power of electing representatives upon ithe | Hospital aad Charitable Aui Board 3, and intiuvited his intentiou of introducing a Bill to give effect to that principle at tho earliest possible opportunity, although not necessarily this session. If direct represent* htion upon such Boards is considered desirable, 'surely there can be no harm in ox'endintr the priuofclo to the Harbour Board and f,-«tS Of "4*B MilW- The Lyttelton Harhour *.«*<* consists at $fswu members five meaib^S Pf which (on fi for Lvtcelton, two for Chrisfc&uroh, one for Sydenhnm and odo for St. Allans) are rtlected by the ratepayers, while a sixth (the Mayor for the time being) SW be also regarded as being directly ei°oted by the ratepayers of Lyttelton. I£ two ineul h «i'P were allocated to the county and returned by the ratepayers (both urban and rural) the Borough might very reasonably hope to return a representative who would safeguard its interests oo the Board Assuming that the nominee aystem i? undesirable in tho ca-e of the Hospital Hoards, there would appear to be no good renon for continuing it in the case of the Harbour Boards or Trusts, which remain nominative, either as a whole or in part.