CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 50, 1 March 1893, Page 2

CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES.

A BREEZE AT THE HARBOUR BOARD.

A somewhat heated discussion took place at the Harbour Board meeting yesterday, when the minutes of the last meeting of tha Finance and Legal Committee came up for adoption. At the latter meeting the Committee had nominated Messrs Devore and Crowther for the post of Chairman of the Committee, when the latter gentleman put a close to the proceedings by ruling the; business out of order. Yesterday, when it was proposed to adopt the minutes of the Finance and Legal Committee's meeting, Mr Napier aatd that if adopting the minutes meant approving of the action of the Chairman on the occasion ho could not agree to their adoption. The Chairman said that they were just bringing jip the old trouble they had bad in committee. The business was not properly before the Board. Mr Napier : Oh, yes ib is. The Chairman : I say it is nob. I ruled in committee that no committee had a right to deal with any business unless it was sent to them by the Board. I will rule that again, and I therefore say that the present discussion is out of order, Mr Napier. Mr Napier then said he wished to address the Board with the view of showing that the minutes should not be confirmed. The Chairman ruled Mr Napier out of order. Mr Napier persisted that he waß in order. The Chairman said it was his duty to deoide what was in order and what not. Mr Napier and the Chairman then had a slight passage of arms, in which the former asked, "that the Chairman would not interrupt him so frequently, that the business might go on," and quoted the usage in the House ot Representatives to show that Committees had the power to elect their •. wn Chairman. It was clear, he contended, whore no provision waa made in the Harbour Board standing orders for particular contingencies that might arise, the Board had nothing for it but to follow the proceduro of the House of Representatives. He moved, "That tho minutes be referred back to the Finance and Legal I Committee."

A long discussion ensued, several suggestions being made and cast aside in turn.

Ab length the Mayor moved, "That Mr Devore be olectod Chairman of the Committee."

This waa seconded, but Mr Napier ab once movod as an amendment, "That the Committee elect its own Chairman."

Another long disoussion resulted, but the amendment was ab length carried.

It was agreed that, the meeting of .the Committee bo held sufficiently in advance of tho Board meeting to enable the members of tho latter to have a copy of the Committee's report forwarded them along with the notice convening the Board's meeting.