TAURANGA HARBOUR BOARD

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9206, 11 June 1926, Page 2

TAURANGA HARBOUR BOARD

MR GHANT HE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN. The annual mooting' of the T au . ranga Harbour Hoard was held in Ihe Coronation Hall at 11.30 a.m. yesterday. Present ; Messrs 1). Grant (Chairman). C, E. Macmillan. ALP.. C. Lilly. ,). G. Green. \\’. K. Sinclair. R. Wilson. J. C. Adams. A. Montgomery, H. M. Martin and T. AleHoweJl, Tite Aeting-Seeretary. Mr R ] j< Thomas, read correspondence giving the names of members elected to the Hoard at the recent elections. Tite Chairman extended a wvlcome to the new members, Messrs Wilson and Sinclair. The Chairman re 1 lus annual report, which was adopted. The Chairman said the next business was the election of chairman. The Acting-Secretary called for nominations for the position of Chairman.

Mr Adams proposed That Mr (Lvi'u he appointed Chairman.—ln doing so Mr Adams said Mr Green was an odd member of tite Hoard, had always taken a keen interest it; its aftairs. and was a good business man. He thought-the office should he a rolling one. Mr Macmillan seconded. He thought it advisable that tile v should have a change in the chairmanship. At present the Prime Minister and Mr Grant did not see eye to eye on matters concerning the Board. Mr Me Howell moved That Mr (Rant be elected Chairman.— In doing so lie said it was a bad time to swap horses. There was an undercurrent in Wellington and in his opinion tile matter had been so ettgineered from Tauranga as to have made a rcecnj deputation antagonistic with the Prime Minister. Mr Grant had nothing to do with it. No man would give the time, attention and careful consideration to the Hoard's affairs that Air Grant had given. He thought, it would he wise to retain the present chairman.

Mr Lully said he had pleasure in seconding Mr McDowell’s proposal. It would not be possible to get another man to give his time to harbour affairs as Mr Grant had. Mr Green moved -Thai the voting I,<; bv ballot-Seconded by Mr Martin and carried.

The Acting-Secretary named Mr A. Lee as scrutineer.

Mr Green said he had frequently during the last. tweve> months stated at the Board’s table that ho was not satisfied with the way the business of the Board was being administered. Mr Grant is a dangerous man to have uncontrolled charge of the Board's funds On one of his visits to Wellington last year, without any authority from the Board, ho borrowed another £IO.OOO. He (Mr Green) alone pro-tested--Mr Macmillan not being present when the Board later approved of his action. On January 1, of this year, the Board had borrowed £34.000 and of this sum had £27.000 to its credit in various banks, on which they were losing yearly anything from 3 per cent to 0 per cent. Mr Grant knew'this money was not required for present commitments. He borrowed this money in anticipation to pay for the timber for the new wharf at the Mount, which he intended to erect, without the consent of, in fact, in direct opposition to the wishes of both the Minister of Marine and the Minister of Kailways. He called for tenders for this timber and as far as he was concerned practically accepted the same but this lie (Air Green) distinctly opposed and he (Mr Grant) could not authoritatively accept without the direct consent of the Board.

Mr Grant said as regards the illo,ooo Mr Macmillan was with him in Wellington. Before acceptin'.' the money they came back and the Hoard agreed to borrow that money. The reference to the Mount Mauuganni wharf was only imagination. As regards the tenders the Hoard adopted a motion to call lor lenders. The wharf, if it goes on. would cost under .£20.000. He had a grasp cf the Board’s business from Ato Z. There was no difference between the Prime Minister and himself. It was all propaganda, and they knew where it came Irom. They had received a good hearing. Mr Green’s statements were incorrect.

Mr Wilson said he understood lhaf dm -Rotorua ratepayers would not lie liable for a rate if a rate were required. A reply was .given that Rotorua would net, haver to pay a rale until connected by railway. The Board was not collecting a rate. Mr Alan in said it was not the wi.sn of (lie Rotorua people to he brought in. and several deputations itao waited upon them, ile resented the Litter attacks on (he Board, which were engineered from this district. fhe ballot was (hen taken and Air Thomas declared Air Grant elected Chairman. Air Giant returned thanks for his re-elect ion. He said there was no east and west with him. ills aim '■'a.s to sec the harbour almost secto none i M New Zealand. Mr Green returned thanks to the members who supported him. Air Montgomery moved—That Die Gnairman’s honorarium be fixed at. £75 [ter amiu/u. Seconded by Air Green and carried.