HARBOUR BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 228, 19 June 1908, Page 4

HARBOUR BOARD.

THE MILLION LOAN BILL. HONORARY LEGAL SERVICES. 'A spocial meoting of the Wellington Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon to considor tho report of tills Legislation Committee regarding tho Wellington Harbour Board Reclamation afid Empowering Bill, 1908. Thoso present wero Messrs. T. MWilford, M.P. (Chairman), F. H.,Fraser, ft Flotchor, J. G. Harkness, C. W. Jones, and F. G. Bolton. Leave of absence was granted' to the Hon. T. Konnedy Macdonald, M.L.O. Tho Board wont into committee. On resuming the Chairman reported that tho Bill, us circulated among the members, had bo«n approved for introduction as a private Bill during tho coming session of Parliament, and that the Hon. T. Kennedy,-Macdonald and 'himself had consonted to take charge of it during its passage through tho Legislature. Tho- Board in comniittoo • had also adopted the following recommendations of tho Legislation Committee, 1. To adopt (a) Tho Bill, (b) Tho petition for leavo to introduco tho Bill, (c) Tho declaration t-o accompany tho petition, (d) Tho declaration as to control and revenues, (o) The ostimate of tho cost of construction of work's upon which the loan monoys nro to bo expended, (f) Tho estimate of the increased revenue to be derived from the expenditure of the loan moneys. 2. To authorise the Chairman and • the Hon. T. Kennedy Macdonald to mako the necessary- declarations,, (c) and (d'), on behalf of tho Board. 3. To affix tho seal to all the above:mentioned documents, • (a) to (f). 4. That power bo given to the Legislation Committee-to examine any documents reguired during tho progress of the Bill, and, if necessary, when approved of , to affix the seal of tho Board' thereto. 1 THE BOARD'S SOLICITORS. The Chairman also' reported that tho Board in committee had considered tho following letter from Messrs. Izard and Weston, solicitors to tho Board, under date June 18,' 1908:— "Re Harbour Board Empowering Bill. Referring to the above-mentioned Bill, we desire that your Board will accept onr past and futuro services-in.counoction therewith as entirely honorary. We make this request, as we feel convinced the Board will require Mr. Izard's sorvicos as one of tho Wellington city members to advocate and support tho Bill," and he would be prohi-, bitea by tho Standing Orders-from so doing if our firm received, any feo or reward for professional services in connection with tho Bill. Wo shall bo obliged if you will lay this letter beforo the Board at tho'earliest opportunity, and obtain a. resolution in accordant with bur request. . Yours- faithfully, Charles H. Izard, T. Shailer Weston." Tho Chairman said that the Board regretted this very.much. That Messrs. Izard and Weston had acted according to. tha spirit of-tho Standing; Orders in -regard to private Bills thero.'could be no question, hut as to 'whether they had acted according to tho letter Of the Standing Orders there was some question. , Their decision would mean a saying to. tho Board, of about £150, because there was no doubt that tho work in connection,with the Bill would hara meant a heavy expenditure by the Board in legal foes. HeV.thought: it was a matter for regret that it had not been provided that tho costs incurred lii the preparing of tho documents connected" with such'a Bill might'bo paid in the ordinafy Tho Board in com-" mittee had placed on record .a resolutioh accepting -the honorary services of Messrs. Izard and Weston, as 1 requested by them. No doubt-there would be a considerable contest over jthe' Bill, and legal' services would be required-to meet .the legal talent of -the other side. Personally, ho did not think the Standing 'Orders' would prevent Mr. Weston, as a partner,' receiving the money in question, so long as it went to him alono, arid not to a member,of .the..H0u5e:....... The Board confirmed tho business done in committee.-'- _ Tho Wellington Harbour Board Reclamation and Empowering Bill, as recontly published by advertisement in The Dominion, proposes to give the Board power to acqniro by compulsory purchase tho Patent Slip and certain lands required for the purposes of the Evans" Bay'recelamation scheme." It also gives the Board power- to borrow £1,000,000 for ,tho ..above undertakings and other harbour works. ' •