HARBOUR BOARDS VACANCY

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24545, 19 April 1945, Page 4

HARBOUR BOARDS VACANCY

COUNTIES’ PROTEST MEETING

APPOINTMENT OF MB W. B. LAING - A meeting of protest was held yesterday by the representatives of eight i Canterbury county councils against the' appointment of Mr W, B. Laing, a member -of the Heathcote County - " Council, as a representative of their combined district on the Lyttelton Har- - hour Board. Mr Laing was appointed . ;•' by the Minister of Marine (the Hon, J. O'Brien) to fill the vacancy on the ■ Lyttelton Harbour Board caused bythe death of Mr A. E. Langdale-Hunt "* . "We feel a certain amount of re* " sentment to'the fact that the Minister r is reported to* have stated that the - • counties were slow in acting over this' matter.” said the chairman (Mr W. P. •• McArthur, Paparua County). “We also feel an apology is due to the returning •. officer (Miss A. I. Freeman), Upon being notified of the vacancy she took • immediate steps to notify the counties - concerned, and they were asked to / appoint delegates to be present at this . k meeting. Imagine our astonishment-.:' and consternation when, a few days before the meeting, we heard of the appointment of a man connected with ''S the Watersiders* Union, and. In tile opinion of some, not qualified to act*!! as a mouthpiece for farmers. Would £33 the Minister have so hastily appointed'®! the nominee of, say. the Farmers* Union to the position had this ’■*3s vacancy been one usually occupied by",™ a watersiders’ representative?” ’Je The Minister had a duty to consider VI how the appointment of this mah-i|| would look to the electors of the eight hs counties concerned. Mr McArthur tinued. His position should have re»fc;Ji strained him from making this appoint-; I *, ment until the regular authorities hadftil had time to meet, and, according to&S time-honoured custom, make a reco»-|y| mendation to him. Mr J. K. McAlpine (Tawera CoimtytfiJ referring to the Minister’s statemeM;£jg that the counties were “a bit slow” acting, quoted as a precedent te.MjWH|p of bis own appointment to the LyttaJS&i ton Harbour Board to fill a extraordinary vacancy. In thls three months elapsed before finally appointed. He added teat notijrffia ing had been gained by the MlnittertJS® hasty appointment, for no Board meeting will take Place btfom 31 the counties* nominee cpUldhave been * appointed. : ' .fj "Minister’s Undue Haste” M "The eight combined cOimty cpvmclls g| of; this essentially rural district always appointed their own chosen re-,«|l presentative,” said Mr F. W. (Heathcote County). *Tn these when there is much talk of fycedomjj|B these combined districts are. of the fre&pm to exercise teefr.ep>|Sa lective Selection for apppmting own representative. Iwm Ister displayed undue haste, dently did not the PoygimH with deliberation M a Crown should.. We fewthat jl?-r8gj|y has been lost, because there, necessity; be a time lag when. rtWjtSSßi be careful teat uierl Is not e Win to his deciaion which may trust and alienation in the fartmn^p^B A?’showing that-the car bad acted , properly m detyxoran the meeting unfil. that counties concerned did not tu after the’ Minister’s «ppoiAtf|mH bad been made.' Mr W. -K, j Overton QOmm | County) suggested that tee .MMi decision, should be recOns|dered that the, cotmties be tp a name tohlm - tor Mr MOArthur: I think it is ■MfeBHH Ui to ask the Minister to stote WaaM licly who : nominated his apP9»«MM down there.-w . The representatives of county councils also , iar opinions. •The - following teeoiutioni<vMHn passed- - V: - v ? ; ‘ SWSSM ’This meeting, property coiwep||fflg«| PaparuarHalsweU, Ellesmere; Selwyn.'Malvem aimigSH wera, places on record s Pujl&jßHH protest against the,action of curable me Minister, of MarapaßHl hastily appointing « member. Ityttefton Harbour XOanT to SgelHH vacancy of a representanye ••nPwBHHB DboVe - combined districts; v waiting for the Usual recommtoW|||M from the county councils although this meeting' wds.. mSMMn at the earliest reasonable; oPßSfflfflMM ity. - ' ..''MM •That the matter of appointment / of representations Lyttelton Harbour:, Board to the New Zealand Counties AMWISgSi tion so that local the right to make a nomination SHagal the event of an extraordinary wMShH occurring.” ; 1 ; jgjM

CRITICISM BY FARMERS'"''3I UNION ?FJal ‘ ' • ”1 "• w|| The action of the Minister in filling the vacancy on the ton Harbour - Board W»s criticised at yesterday’s the North Canterbury Executive of the New. Zealand mers’ Union. The following;.:lwlWHaM tion was carried:— 1 )•_. visaaS “That' the North Canterbury JawatSa cutivfe of.the' Farmers' Union imOPffilEa the Minister of Marine that UaenmMrH objects to the unfair manner ih a vacancy on the J>ttelton HMBfljtSaH Board was filled, in that, such appolnbipSM ment has deprived primary’prOoucjWSaw of their rightful representation.’' .