LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11730, 3 November 1903, Page 6

LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

REPRESENTATION UNDER THE NEW BILL. (SrfiClAli TO "the tress.") WELLINGTON, November 2. Mr Witty to-night carried the second reading of his Lyttelton Harbour Board Enlarging Bill. ■Mr Laurenson protested against the Bill, and pointed out that whereas the Auckland Board had thirteen members, Dunedin twelve, and Wellington nine, the Lyttelton Board had already fifteen members, and this Bill proposed to add two more members to it. He had no complaint to make regarding the present Board, for there were very able men on it, and the farming community was as well represented a.s it could' be. He supposed Mr Witty was bringing this forward ou behalf of the farmers.

Mr Witty: ''On behalf of the country." Mr Laurenson: "Well, I would suggest that the number bo reduced. I would cut it down to ten members."

Mr Buddo baid the representation on the Board was too much confined to the city and the borough of Lyttelton. The country was. only represented by five members, whereas die city and the Lyttelton borough had nine representatives. Lyttelton had three members for a population of 4000, whereas Sehvyn had two members for a population of' 40,000. Mr R. H. Rhodes said that, without doubt it was the wish of the country districts to have more equita-blo. representation. Therefore he hoped the second reading would be carried. He urged that the Mount Herbert County Council should be represented on the Board, and with this object he suggested that this county should be amalgamated with Akaroa county for the purposes of representation on the board.

Mr Tanner said that from any point of view the representation was not proportional. He suggested the drafting of a Bill that would reconstitute the Board, and if possible reduce its membership. The second reading was agreed to on the voices.