CONTROL OF THE MANUKAU.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 7, 8 January 1908, Page 7

CONTROL OF THE MANUKAU.

At a meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday afternoon, the matter of the control of the Manukau Harbour was again considered, the question being introduced by the following resolution, moved by Mr. W. J. Napier: •" That the attention of the Minister of Marine be drawn to ths Board's communication to him in reference to the j Board assuming the control of the Manukau Harbour, and that he be asked for an early decision on the question." Mr. Napier said that the present management of the Manukau Harbour was a sckndaL, and also great loss and inconvenience to business men. The Board had passed resolutions in favour of taking control of the Manukau, and those ■were forwarded to the Minister for Marine, but there were a few people at Onehunga who -wished to ha-ve a Board of their" own. They would, however, require a grant of money from the Government as there were no funds, even if the Board was formed. The Auckland Board' 3 communication to the Hon. J. A. Millar had now been four and a-half months without an answer being received. Mr. Dacre, in seconding the resolution, said that he believed it was the intention of the Government to hand over the control of the Manukau to the Auckland Harbour Board. Mr. Bradhey said there was also the question of whether the Board could get any endowments with the Manukau harbour because it would entail expense to look after it. Mr. Keyes said he was not in favour of forcing the hands of the local people in this matter. If the people of One-huno-a wanted the control of the Manukaur let them have it. The Auckland Board should not do anything until the local people had come to some decision in the matter. Mr. Macfarlane: Mr. Keyes is right. Mr. Xapier said he quite agTeed with "\lr. Keyes, but something must be done, and all* the resolution asked was an answer from the Minister. Mr. Macfarlane said that what they wanted -was to have someone in control j of the Manukau, and if the Onehunga j people did not d-o so, then the Board must .do so. Mr. Kneen said something should certainly be done in the matter for t& convenience of the shipping, for They had j to lie side by side at the Onehunga wharf. The motion was then agreed to.