HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16207, 9 May 1918, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN

Tho statutory mooting of the lijttcltoii Harbour Board fur the election of chairman was held yesterday. Present —Me ssrs Albert Kayo. J. Storry, T. D. Uoag, H. F. Xicoil, T. A. Blackley. S. K. Sleigh, J. J. Graham. E. «JHoward, W. J. Waiter, Geo. .Scott. HB. Sorensen F. Horrell, Dr. H. 1. •' • Thacker, M.l'.. and Hon. 1?. Moore, M.L.C. The secretary or ihe Board, Mr Cjtus J. X*. Williams, presided.

Messrs, LLaye r.nd Horrell were nominated. .Mr noirm declined. Mr Scott was also nominated.

In the course oi discussion supporters of tho Canal scheme accused Air Jvayo ol' iiaving changed his views on unit subject, and merred to certain remarks made by him at the last meeting of tho Board as proof oi their contention.

Mr Kayo stated emphatically that lie had not changed las \ sc.vi regarding the canal; a canal lor Christchureji would be of immense beneiit if it could be done. \Yhat ho had stated opeiiiV and frankly was that a time <>f like tho present time of war was not tho time to consider big schemes, involving hundreds of thousands, pernaps millions, of money. Mr Scott's name was first submitted, and a show of hands resulted I' or Mr iscott 5, against 8. On Mr Kaye s name being submitted eight voted tor liim, and live aga-inst. On division the voting for Mr Kaye was nine and against lire. Mr Scott and Mr St-oriy were nominated for the deputy-chairmanship. Mr Storry was elected by eight votes to six. Tho whole Board was elected tho Finance Committee, Mr Nicoll being reappointed chairman; the who»o Board was elected the Harbour Improvement Committee, the chairman of the Board to be chairman; Messrs Graham (re-eV-ted chairman), Kaye, Howard, Boag, and S!o!gh were elected the SailoiV Heme Committee.

ORIHXAIiY .MEETING. An ordinary mooting followed, Mr Kaye presiding. ( 'me cuairr-iait reported receipts ptt'd into Harbour F:lucl Account, to -tlay 4th, totalling i.'i 183. as wii-ii £5/81 lor vile corresponding period last year. •l'lie engineer reported, for the period April oth to _u ny 3rd. that tne uredge Canterbury had ItttoJ 116,000 tons, of which weie from liisjdo the moles; the 'J'ettaku l;ad lilted -1/0U tons; work had been commenced on the dismantling ol' No. '1 jetty.

iho report was adopted. The .Harbour Improvement Committee, reporting oil the disabilities of the Ly vtelcoii-Cnristehureli .railway, stated: —"Seeing that the Government are now instituting an onquiiy into the management ol the Lyttelton railway, it is proposed to defer consideration of the engineer's report re disabilities of the Lvitelton railway until ol the report of that enquiry; and if that report on railway management is not satisfactory, the, Board may find it necessary to take further action in conjunction with other local bodies." After discussion the report was agreed to. The Finance Committee reported that arising out of the City Council's decision, in respect of the Board's £20,000 loan to that body, to take advantage of the law to extend the period of tho loan until the expiration of one year after the war, it had arrived at the following resolution"That the attention of the Council bo called to the low rate of interest for the loan, and he asked to nay tho Board the current rato of interest." The committee laid on the table of the Board a statement snowing' the cost of electing four members 011 the Board to represent 'the City of Christchurcli. . On thC committee's recommendation accounts were passed for payment totalling £5072 £s (id. The report was agreed to. The Sailors' Home report, showing a' debit balance of £12 3s sd, and that 11 men stayed at tho home during April, was adopted. It was decided that the men on watch on the Board' 3 tug boat receive extra payment for keeping watch. The chairman was appointed to represent the Board at an interview with the Government, arranged by the "Wanganui Harbour Board, in respect of sorting charges imposed on all railway wharves.

On tlic motion of Mr Nicoll, seconded bv Mr Sorensen, it was decided to subscribe £.500 to tho Citizens' Committee of tlie British and Foreign Sailors' Society, an amendment, pronosed by Mr Horrell, and seconded by Mr Boar, that £200 be voted, being negatived.