THE CANAL.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13595, 2 December 1909, Page 8

THE CANAL.

NOTICE OF MOTION RULED OUT * Uli OF ORDER.

The canal question again came up at the meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board yesterday. At the previous meeting Mr Albert iiaye, on behalf ~f Mr J *• U'rostiCK, gave notice oi the toiiowing motion:—• That in view ot the tact that mc general puDiic- is not thorougniy satisriett with either the •majority' or -minority' reports on the canal question, and considering the expenses already incurred and the importance of the question as attecting tne future prosperity ot Canterbury, a special committee be set up to go thoroughly into the whole matter; and that in order to have the various points fully considered in as impartial a manner as possible, the following gentlemen be invited to meet with a committee ot" this Board to be hereafter set up viz.. Mr Alitchelson, of Auckland; Mr Wm. Ferguson, of Wellington; Mr J. E. Watsan, of Invercargill; together with a competent accountant to be hereafter selected, and that this committee be at liberty to take into consideration all and every matter affecting the question ot a canal from the seaward, landward, and financial aspects, and to call for all and every kind of evidence they may desire." The Chairman (Mr H. Friedlander) pointed out that the motion did not set forth what the committee were to d<f after they had taken evidence. Mr Kaye: They would renort to the Board. The Chairman said that he had given this matter very careful consideration, and he was extremely sorry to have to take the step he was about to take. For two reasons he could not permit the motion to be moved. The first reason was that by resolution of the loth September the Board adopted the majority report, and that resolution had not been rescinded. Clause 9 of that report recommended th<\ Board to abandon the canal proposal. Until that resolution was rescinded he could not allow this notice of motion to be moved. The second reason was that the motion asked the Board to take_ the opinion, and probably act on it, of persons who were not members of the Board, and had not been elected to take part in its deliberations. The Board could ap point experts, and act on their opin ion, but they could not appoint outsiders to act as part of a committee of the Board. He therefore ruled the notice ot motion out of order. Mr Frostick moved that the Board adjourn. He was much surprised at the Chairman's action, but he regarded it as another indication as showing that at the bottom of the whole question the gentlemen who were responsible for what was known as the majority report were not quite sure on the question themselves. The puwie of Christchurch had a right to the very best information it couJd get through tho Board. The Chairman: You cannot traverse any matter outside my ruling. If you raise the question of the correctness or my ruling, that is the only question you can speak to. Mr Frostick said that he was not prepared to say that the ruling was not in order. The public, however, were going to have this question settled in spite of the ruling. The Chairman: I have already said that you cannot speak on anything outside my ruling. Whether the outsido public is in favour of it or against it does not affect the question. Mr Horrell suggested that Mr Frostick. should give notice of motion to rescind the previous resolution. Hβ did not wish to burke the discussion. Mr Moore said that the Chairman's ruling had come as a surprise to him, though undoubtedly it was in accordance with the standing orders. However, rather than that it should appear that the Board wished, to burke the discussion, he would agree to a suspension o.' the standing orders to enable the motion to be discussed. Mr Cook endorsed Mr Moore's remarks. They had nothing to hide. He had come prepared" for the discussion. Mr Frostick said that he would give notice of motion for the next meeting oi the Board to rescind the previous resolution. The Chairman might have had the courtesy to let him know tne action be was going to take. ' Dr. Thacker: You had better state your motion specifically, or they will have another loophole. Mr Moore objected to the insinuations made by Dr. Thacker. The Chairman: They'don't amount to much. Mr Moore said that the Chairman had expressed regret that he was compelled to rule the motion out of order. Dr. Thacker: Tuey are crocodile's tears now. Mr Moore: These remarks of yours aio in very bad taste. Mr Millar said that he regretted the Chairman's ruling in one way, as' he had come to the meeting rully prepared for the debate. He had been into the country recently,. and had a lot of evidence in regard to the attitude of the country on the canal question. The Chairman said he regretted that whenever the canal was mentioned it became a personal matter. He had taken the precaution to refer the notice of motion to members of the House, and they endorsed the decision he had come to. He had not intimated the position to Mr Frostick, partly because he did not know whether Mr Frostick or Mr Kaye was going to move the resolution. He had only received the letter from Wellington on Tuesday, and further, if he had let Mr Frostick know he would have to let every member know. It was his custom to rule a T . the meetings-, not before them: The matter then dropped, and Mr Frostick gave notice of motion for next meeting.