AUCKLAND NAVAL STATION

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 158, 6 July 1899, Page 8

AUCKLAND NAVAL STATION

EETUEN OF MR J. M. BEIGHAM.

§■ A SUCCESSFUL MISSION.

Mr J. M. Brigham, the Secretary of She Auckland Harbour Board, returned by the s.s. Mararoa on July 3rd from London, whither he was sent to make arrangements with the British Admiralty for the equipment of Calliope Dock as a naval station. Mr Brigham explained that all the details of the scheme which could be given to the press before he reported to the Board ihad already been published, so that there was little to add. Everything had been successful; all that fee asked for had eventually been conceded, though not without a great deal of trouble and work. "It was the steepest job I ever had in my life," he said. "When I reached London I found the authorities would only agree to a small annual subsidy, the Harbour Board to provide the machinery to the satisfaction of the Admiral in charge of the station. The Admiralty agreed to the Board's proposals subject to thte approval of the Treasury, but the latter objected to paying 4 per cent, for the money required inasmuch as the money they raised only cost them 2J per cent. Three schemes were submitted to Mr Goschen, First Lord of the Admiralty, but he would have none of them. At last he referred the matter to Mr Austin Chamberlain, who succeeded ultimately in getting the Board's proposals through the Treasury, the latter finally agreeing to everything I asked for. I at once got all the specifications from the Admiralty which had been prepared in the meantime pending the reply from the Treasury, and tenders were called for. 250 specifications were • issued in one day. I received 153 tenders for different things, and acceipted 51 of them upon the recommendation of the Admiralty. The whole matter is now completed. The contract with the Admiralty has been signed, sealed and delivered, tenders let, and the macinery under construction. The latter will be forwarded from time to time as it is completed. A start will be made with the buildings here almost immediately. Only one set of plans will have to be sent Home for approval; all the rest can be dealt with locally."

Mr Brigham speaks in high terms of the courtesy with which he was invariably treated by the officials and others with whom he came in contact. "I am not at all sorry, though, to get back to Auckland," he added. When it is mentioned that during Mr Brigham's visit to London the Government were in the thick of the war preparations consequent on the "Fashoda incident," and the Admiralty busy preparing the naval estimates involving an expenditure of about twenty-six millions, the difficulty of his task will be at once apparent. It must be remembered also that there was no precedent for the proposals he was submitting; nothing on the records to guide him. That the negotiations were carried' through with such complete success speaks well for the energy and tact of the officer to whom the important mission was entrusted by the Board. It was admitted by the Naval and Treasury authorities that the negotiations were puslhed through with as much celerity as could possibly have been shown, and the AccountantGeneral, Sir Evan MacGregor, and other prominent officials, complimented Mr Brigham upon the result of hi§ efforts pa behalf of .the Board, jj