WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 186, 6 August 1913, Page 7

WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD

MB FISHER'S APPOINTMENTS. POLITICAL " PULL " • AJLLEGED. (Br STelesrnph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Tie Special Committee set up to invos-agate-appointments to the Westport Harbour Board by the Minister of Marine sat this morninpr. Mr ix-e hemp; elected chairman. The lion. F. M. B. Fisher read a statement covering the appointments. He quoted Mr Almore's speech made on July 8 in the House, and contended that Mr Atmore had accused Mm. of having knowingly- appointed .Mr Simpson to the Westport Harbour Board, knowing him to be a person unfitted for the position. ilr Fisher stated that the chairman of the Board and .Mr Simpson would be gfren an opportunity of appearing before the committee. He left it to the committee to determine whether he was aware that Mr Simpson was a person unfitted to hold a position on the Board. He had appointed Mr Gillen to the Board, as he was the nominee of the Labour party.

Mr Atmorc said tlie question of whetler Mr Fisher had made sufficient inquiry as tn Mr .Simpson's fitness for the position before appointing him would be considered. He stood to the charge made in the House that the appointment was disgrace to Cabinet. The facts regarding the man's character should have been ascertained before the appointment was made. He suhfiiitted that the position TO3 that a person had been appointed to the third biggest Harbour Board when he was not fitted to hold a license in a wost insignificant place. The Motueka Licensing Committee had refused him n license on account of femr convictions king recorded in January of last year. The offences could not be attributed to hot-blooded youth. The Minister stated m the House that he would ask the man to resign if his convictions were proved. That wa3 sufficient to warrant him I Mr. Atmore) making the charge. The main question wae. did the Minister make the appointment knowing the man's character, or did lie take to* trouble to ascertain whether Mr. Simpson was the proper kind of man to occupy such an important Position. If i)ie .Minister didn't know, the appointment was made carelessly. « would like to add to the order of feierenee: "Is it true that, as alleged by we member for Nelson, seven convictions were recorded asrainst Mr. Simpson, Who was appointed by the Minister of and if so was the member for «lson justified in bringing the matter '"ore the House?" ~M r - c °l"n objected to gazetting off ™c Board of two of four members apPointed by the Ward Government. That Mtion was not fair. The Government then appointed Messrs. Simpson and ™"en, who were rejected at the WestP°rt boroiiirh poll. Mr. FWn-r -;;,i ; ,;,,.M the complexities J' the Harbou. ; Be.rd. and t-ontended "« he had ,jo option but t-, 2 azett<? ta ose members of ,„,. Board out. m»i r "i ;, mH thr TPomtinfuU were "*Je by "political pu |:. J Jα. Atmore Hekml that the chairman a)!M e ? otnek * Uwiisinjt Bench he 2 ll S ° Mr - sim P-' on ' n<? reared the production of thr Court reSotaefc** Karamea ' Wetport. and

»(W at *]" a?rprd to - and th(? committee j Ujourned till Tuesday nexi. !