ELECTIVE HARBOUR BOARDS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11945, 14 July 1904, Page 2

ELECTIVE HARBOUR BOARDS.

- ♦ DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. V (SPXCIAL.TO "iHK TILX&S.") WELLINGTON, July 13. Tise question of elective Harbour Boards was discussed in the. Hour* to-day.Mr Lawry had a question on the Order Paper asking when the Minister of Marine intend--ed to introduce the Bill to alter the constitution of the Auckland Harbour Board as prepared year. Mr Mill?, Acting-Minister of Marine, replied that a, Bill which is being prepared to consolidate and amend the Harhours Acts will contain a provision to niter the constitution of .the Auckland Harbour Board. JSuch provision will probably be on tire same lines an proposed by the Harbour Boards Bill of last year. Mr T. Mackenzie applied the suggestion to Hnrbour Boards, and f;ijd the four nominated members of tlie Ota go Harbour Board dominated the Board, and there was not a. ringle member on the Board representing the agricultural and milling part of Ot.igo. Mr W. F. Massey said the Auckland Harbour Board was not representative of the peopk'. He hoped Mr Hall-Jones's Harbour Board Bill would be introduced at an early date. The Premier: "I will give the leader of the Opposition a chance. Will he support : the Government if I bring down a Bill to make members of Harbour Boards elective, the elections to take place on the electoral roll, and over the district which the harbour nerves. If the leader of tho Opposition will accept that challenge, I will undertake that tho Government will bring down the Bill, and we will have a Mid© selection of members of Harbour Boards." Mr T. Mackenzie: "I will accept tho challenge on behalf of Otago." Tlie Premier: "Well, I begin to see light in the otherwise dark cloud. If the leader of the Opposition will say he is agreeable to that course we will do away with the nominative system, do away with special representation, and leave'it to the people to settle. Moreover, I am agreeable to do it with the Land Boards of the colony." Mr T. Mackenzie: "And the Hospital Boards?"' The Premier: "Every board. Why, 1 am delighted that at last we are coming to our senses, and that we ore prepared to trust the people." The question of elective Justices of tho Peace and members of Crown Lands Board* was referred to in a question by Mr Mander. Tlie Premier, in reply to thia question, said:—"The Government have no intention of introducing a. Bill this session providing for the election of J.P.'s. The elective principle a« applied to members of Crown Lands Boards and other positions is a. matter of policy. If the hon. member moves' in that direction the Government will be only too pleased to pay any deference to what ia said, and give the matter its earnest consideration."