HARBOUR BOARD ETIQUETTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 117, 18 May 1892, Page 5

HARBOUR BOARD ETIQUETTE.

AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

A dispute has arisen between the Chairman of the Harbour Board and some of the members in referenco to a ruling by Mr McMillan thab ■no mombet1 of the Board has a right to apply to an official of the Board for information except through the Chairman or Secretary. At the next meeting of the Board Mr J. H. Wibhoford will move a resolution to the effect " that in the opinion of the Board the Chairman's ruling is wrong." This motion has been tabled by Mr Witheford in coneoqnence of some discussion which arose at the last meeting of the Board in connection with the report of theForeman of Works regarding the proposed wharf at Lake Takapuna beach. A question having been raised as to whether the report produced was the original report as prepared by the Foreman of Works, the production of that official's letter-book was demanded by Mr Witheford. It was produced by Mr La Roche, draughtsman, who was questioned by members of the Board on the matter. lfc transpired that Mr La Roche had been in conversation with Mr V/itheford, and it was in consequence oE his conversation that the production of the letter-book was demanded. The Chairman of the Board, addressing*Mr La Roche, reprimanded him for having given information to the members of the Board otherwise than through the medium of the Chairman or the Secretary. Other members of the Board, however, thought Mr La Roche had acted quite properly, and that it was the duty of the Board's officials to give members the .fullest information possible on public matters. The subject will, no doubt, be fully thrashed out 'at the next meeting of the Board.