MR MITCHELSON'S SPEECH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 63, 15 March 1915, Page 6

MR MITCHELSON'S SPEECH.

j A WRONG CONSTRUCTION. | EXPLANATION TO FERRY COMMISSION. xo tocouse intended. The Commission which is inquiring | into the allegations made in connection with the new by-laws of the Auckland Harbour Board resumed its sittings in the Auckland Chamber of Commerce this morning. Mr Justice Hosking is conducting the inquiry. Mr. R. MeVeagh j and Mr. E. Russell appeared for the Harbour Board, Mr. M. G. McGregor for the Devonport Ferry Company, Mr. J. C. Martin for the Xorth Auckland Municipal Association, and Mr. T. X. Baxter for the petitioners. At the commencement of the sitting the Commissioner said he had hoped that the country witnesses would have l>oen present. He had received telegrams from the Mayor of Hamilton, the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce', and ..Mr. Young, M.P.. asking the Commissioner to sit at Hamilton to hear a large number of witnesses. After consultation with counsel, his -Honor decided that it would "be impossible to acquiesce in the suggestion, but he would hear representative witnesses to voice the views of the country. EX-CnAIRMAX'S STATEMENT. Mr. McVengh intimated tint the following letter had been received from the Hon. E. Mitchelson, late chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board:— "I understand that a misconstruction is being placed on a statement made by mc to the Auckland Harbour Board when advocating the raising of a million loan for the purpose of carrying out the proposed scheme of works for providing reinforced concrete wharves and other improvements in the Auckland Harbour. I prepared a statement showing that the revenue of the Board was sufficient to enable the proposed works to be carried out without increasing the rates, and such statement was certainly not made with a view to lead members of the Board to believe that the then rates would be sufficient for all time, but only with a view to assuring Parliament that the Board were about to ask to pass their Loan Bill, that the Board's revenue was sufficient to meet all charges in connection with the proposed loan, and also to assure those who were to be asked to lend the money that they would be perfectly safe in lending it." "All those who were members of the Board at the time that I made the statement," continued Mr. Mitchelson, "will clearly remember that never at any meetings of the Board or in committee, where most of the discussion on tlie proposed scheme took place, did I over lead them to believe that the then rates were to lie the rates' for all time, or that it would never be necessary to increase them. They will, I am sure, give mc credit for having more sense, and bear mc out in the statement I am now making." POINTS FOR SOLUTION. In the course of discussion on various points to be taken into consideration before presenting his report, his Honor intimated that it probably would' bo doubtful whether any differentiating charges could be made for ferry vehicular wharfage. His Honor also intimated that he would like a return showing the amount obtained from the Northern Steanuhip Company apart from wharfage by the Harbour Board, and further observed that it did not follow from the fact that the passengers paid more that the by-law should be disallowed. If the Board made a by-law regulating fares a commission would be necessary to determine whether those charges were fair. He mentioned that in case he came to the conclusion that the Harbour Board was entitled to more for passenger shipping. Mr. Russell asked if Mr. Alison would bo prepared to supply information showing the relation of revenue from conces- < sion tickets to the total revenue of the company. Air. Alison replied that he would be I prepared to submit that information to his Honor. The Judge: I should make it public. j FEAR OF RIVALRY. Mr. Alison thereupon intimated that a. the Harbour Board had shown a determination to run a rival concern it would be a serious matter to give information on that score. Mr A. Sturges (Mayor of Otahuhu) gave evidence. He expressed the opinion that the Ferry Company should pay a fair share of the cost of construction and maintenance of facilities expressly provided for and exclusively used by" them, seeing that otherwise the general community woidd have to suffer. Mr. McGregor asked leave to cafl the Ferry Company's auditor in consequence of the statement made by Mr. Peter Virtue that the company's balance-sheet was faked. The auditor desired to clear the reputation of his firm. His Honor intimated that from that point of view he would hear the auditor, although it would not be necessary to take a note of his evidence. It was only fair that the auditor's reputation should not suffer.

Mr. W. J. A. Thompson, a member of the Arm of Thompson and May, accordingly mad. a statement. He eaid that he had been auditor for the company for the last year, and certified the last bal-ance-sheet. With regard to Mr. Virtue's statement that the balance-sheet was faked, he desired to emphatically deny the truth of that allegation, and to state that, in accordance with his firm's report on the balance-sheet of the company, which was issued to the shareholders, in his opinion the balance-sheet exhibited a true statement of the company's affairs. There was absolutely no foundation in Mr. Virtue's statements.

The Commission then adjourned until three o'clock.