HARBOURS BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 165, 14 July 1910, Page 2

HARBOURS BILL.

iAN AUCKLAND DEPUTATION. .WAITS ON THE HKEMIER. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary EeDprier.) WELLINGTON, tfci 3 day. A deputation, consisting of Messrs. A. J. Entrican, G. W. Basluy, w. J. papier, representing the Auckland Harbour Board, waited upon the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Waxd, and the Minister for Marine, the Hon. J. A. Millar, at noon to-day ? respecting the Harbours Amendment Bill. Several of the Auck-la-nd members of Parliament were also present. Mr. A. J. JSrrtrican, in the course of his aremarla, said one of the most contentions proposals in the "bill was that embraced in clauses 39 to 42, dealing with, foreshores and reclamations. The Auckland Harbour Board desired to see these clauses amended, so that before any licenses were issued for reclamations the Board should be consulted. As far as. Auckland was concerned the amendment was particularly desirable. The Auckland Board owned the fee simple oi the foreshore on both sides of the harbour from the Baetien Bock on the east and the Watchman on the west, but further west than the Watchman the fee simple of the land -was vested in the Crown. Probably at some future date the proposed esplanade will be continued round by Cox's Creek bridge. In a case like that it would be awkward if a lease was granted of land that would conflict with the proposed harbour improvement, and so it was felt that the Board should at ail times be consulted.

The Auckland Board, continued Mr. Entrican, took serious exception to the provisions of Clause 54 o£ the bill, which related to the licensing of ferry boats. The inclusion of this clause was evidently intended to set at rest the conflict between the Shipping and Seamen's Act and the Harbours Act, with regard to the control of ferries. He admitted that no by-law could ever override Statute law, but he thought that a certain amount of control should be vested in Harbour Boards with regard to the supervision of passengers' accommodation and general conveniences. Some such controlling power, he hoped, would be placed in the hands of the Boards.

Speaking in regard to Harbour BoaTd constitution under the ■terms of the bill. Mr. Entrican said it was felt in Auckland ■that instead of having three members to represent the city and the borough of Grey Lynn, tlie city should elect three representatives, and Grey Lynn a f outrh. In support of this contention he pointed out what difficulties might arise if the Government's full intentions were put into operation. It was proposed to hold Harbour Board elections on the same day as the other local elections in ApriL. That would mean the holding of three separate elections on one day in the same polling booths, viz., one for the election of Mayor, one for the City Councillors, and one for members of the Harbour Board. Pro-bably in the future, Hospital and Charitable Aid Board elections would also be held on the same date. It would be possible to understand the length of time it would take to put these elections through, especially when it was remembered that for the fifteen vacancies on the City Council there were at times 30 or more candidates. Auckland City had 20.000 voters on the roll, and if it was intended to have the Grey Lynn roll as well as the City roll operating in the return of three Harbour Board members, it xvas evident that there would be a rather bad mix-up. This would be obviated if Grey Lynn were allowed to elect a representative of its own. Mr. Entrican further expressed regret that no provision was made for the election of a representative to directly represent the Chamber of Commerce. If this was denied he urged that the payers of dues on goods should be permitted to elect two representatives, as that section contributed, over half the revenue of the Board. No objection was offered by the Board to the provision for two Government nominees. Referring io that part of the schedule entitling Onehunga and the counties of Eden and Manukau having frontage to the Manukau to representation, Mr. Entrican said it was evident that the Government took it for granted that the Auckland Board would take over the control of the Manukau Harbour, and seeing that this' could not be done without special legislation, he thought it would be better to take this representation out of the schedule at present and leave it till such time as the special legislation in question came down. Other matters in connection with the machinery clauses of the bill were briefly referred"to by Mr. Entri-. can. Mr. Napier, speaking on section 54 of the bill, said it was desired that Harbour Boards should have the right, to establish ferry services. Auckland wished to see a clause included in the bill which would enable the board to* run. a service of its. own. In regard to the licensing of ferry boats, all they wanted the Government to do was to leave well alone and' allow things to go on as they had gone for the last 39 years. The intention of the Government to establish bureaucrat control at a distance over ferries was absolutely tory in its application. It was a question which vitally affected the people of Auckland. They wanted to prevent the running of boats absolutely unsuitable for the ferries. Mr. Basley also supported the previous remarks, and urged that Onehunga should be pait in the Manukau • district for representation, and not in Pafnell. Sir Joseph Ward said some of the more important matters referred to he would 'be glad to discuss with his colleagues. In regard to the question of representation, he said that the country, as >well as the city, had a right to representation in the management of the port. Upon the point of power to establish a board's own ferry eervice, he saw no objection to it, but the matter would have to be considered before being included in the bill. He recognised it would provide a good incentive for private companies to keep their services up-to-date. It would 'be plain that the' Marine 'Department must be the controlling authority. There could be no dual control. The question of giving chambers of commerce representation was under consideration, but the House appeared averse to it. Members did not seem greatly in favour of the representation which it was proposed to give to payers of dues. He hoped that in the end a workable measure would find its way to the Statute Book.