HARBOUR BOARD CONSTITUTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 68, 21 March 1910, Page 6

HARBOUR BOARD CONSTITUTION.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—There is no doubt in my mind that the time has arrived when members should be paid a salary for services rendered to the people. Expert men, who know something about marine and harbour work, would then be elected to administer the affairs of the harbour, and i£ they did net do their duty, would be replaced by better qualified nieu'. This Socialistic, or communistic, principle of members work-ing for nothing is beyond the selfish, nature of the average man. A man is cute and smart when his own money is at stake, and a man is cute and smart when his billet and bread and butter may be lost. Members elected under the present system must naturalty, like the paid members, look at things from a selfish point of view, because nine-tenths of our nature supports self-preservation. The interests of the paid member are quite opposite to the interests of present members. I have nothing personal against any member of the Auckland Harbour Board, as they, likely, are the most perfect men to be found. Unfortunately, no man is perfect. Every thought and idea springs from selfish human nature, and it is impossible for any man to render the same services to the public that he can render to himself and those dependent upon him. Millions of money could be saved by paying members to carry on the bueiness iv the interests of the whole people, instead of in the interests of a few interested people. We are not yet fit for communism, as practised by the constitution of the Board. —I am, etc, r A. SANFORD.