A STRONG CASE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 420, 1 February 1909, Page 7

A STRONG CASE.

HARBOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION. ; SHIP^WNERe , POINT OF VIEW; STATEMENT ;BY-THE EON" , ; J. MILLAR. . ■ .{BY.TSLraUAPII— rUESSABSOOtATION.) > :;:■ ■:, ■.. ■;.'-> "■; '■'■,',': ■■: '. '/Auckland, January 31. ; :-An important deputation or representatives of■thoNoiV;Zealand.Shipowners' Federation waited uppii.the.:Minister l for Marine , (the Hon. J. A.'.MiHar):yestorday.;,:. ■•■-. ...,•■'■;. :■.'.;■;' Mr. E! Fordeaid onoof tho most important qubstioua' was .that of Harbour Board ■ repre■flentation; The shipowners felt: very keenly tho: fact\that:'-they.' had prnotioally : no ; voice the administration of; ; affairs -co'nrieoted ' with tho harbour.. : .They were .quite: swamped as tne .result of ; the present constitution of I tho board. :i ; The. larger-companies', with ■ a .number, ofboats had no more'voting power I'thairtho agont'paying dues, to the extent, of i £3.': He hoped that"when- the new Act was introduced: next session therecwould-be: provision for .givingi better ■representation: to the '■shipowners. , .': ,wfl "-''■■ '-'• ''-'■' ' ;; ' -~ . ; . '"[ :. .•••"'•■.'• ,; ' .Mr.Vßans'on'roferred to;the risk l of fire on. Vessels lying:aftho ; wharves,: and. mentioned recent ■'outbreak's Von.tho ■Ngapuhi; and.Waimarie.: Ho ,, thought it unjust ..thatj. having so .much at stake,-.they had not mor6 than brie vote.': '■■-■. : A•' company like: the ■ Northern Steamship: Company, vrith bebyeeh ; thirty and forty vessels, 1 had no more voting power than the'man who paid £3;in dues; ': ; : '■•!.: :: "..*' , ,v-"> :'','',Captein\i:H'./.. : J, , -.'Brftdnoy,;-.6aidvt£at'':' : on a. barbour.'board'it to Gspect'tho .marine , interests to have ; fair representation,, but-.in -the .case; of , the Auckland ; ;Harb6ur ; Board scarcely any'voiceat;air.:; 'A.board mainly comprised of;.'rner:chants cbuldt'not.be.-expected to possess .the. necessary knowledge , ;of marine matters. :Hβ it: was the intention: of -Parliament host session to triako sbhio amendment to tho Aot,;'antl ho';hoped; seo'the Minister, make, pro vision "for the , appointment of three; or four 'direct representatives; of ";..Mr;>Millar'.;,;said . v a :/ ; strong .;case; : :had r beon ; .'.tta'dio",-out v for. ■.better ■'■'■'representatibn.'i'oh'; the'/harbour ■ boards; ; The ' r diffi-' c'ulty, ■ was'.to;.ttak'a , any: hardVand fast; .t\\W for :,while' in. Auckland' the: shipowners jwanted/representation, in:a'Vplhoe. like'; Now. Plymouth , , : would be/ no owners asking. for: representation; on that board... , ' If'.the thingv'wasito'be.workedl equitably) the only way 'out;of, the 'diflleulty would , bo to make speoial^p'royisioh. , . in,' the 'schedule of'the new Aet.' , fbr;.b6ards'' , such ■ as' : those at Auckland,:. .Wellington, Lyttelton, : Dunedin,' and Napier. , ,where"-'epecial ■ repres'entatiori was desired:' Re.ferfing: .to\tho, question' of legislation.■' for' oil:launches.'.thdiMiriister said.ho was going to 'bring. : in /.regulation's to deal -with . them," .and.'they :,would' : all be': brought "'within' the reach: of 'the' 'i Act, special: permits being; al-. lowed , ; to /settlers : : and - owners : of .pleasure , w':v: ■■■. liV;^-; : ;;:;.:.' •■■ '■.;:[ ;-. : .■./:,".::'".''-.

;;■'■ .' ■itHE; PREMIERINTERVIEWED, If: '■:■.■", TBIiEGttAPH—PIIESS.JSSOCHVrioN.j , . v /^\-' : '> ; -V.j:L^:- v -:::;-;^Napler, 7 ; January :: ,30;'; ; '". In! the'leoursoof >an- interview;givento';, a' "Daily, Telegraph''■;.reporterj Sir Joseph Ward ret'erred'te tlie ; reported registration-in l Aus-; : stralia by r A The Pr.emier ■stated 'that, hearing the rumour before it :was" published, l heAtelegraphed to Mr.,C, Holdsworth, '.-'general'-'manager of ;the Union- Steam Ship' Company, the largest shipping organisa 7( ; tion "south;of tji'e.lirte,; asking if y there, was 'anything; in rumour, eisj far ;as the .Union.Company;: was'.: concerned. .'■;'■■ Mr. • Holdswofth; ;haii .replied that;nothing of : .thekind was. con- ■ templat'ed' T - or -.'anticipated.;:/The;; -Premier 'thought .thftt. :: .when. the largest .-organisation: in --the.-; co'untry/; expressed,, tnjs:. view,' 'there -waß"no':■ , Zealftndr-shJppi!)SikTO'WPrp;fpr 'fii'epwitcqtion' of.:lifS;' to^etfie? 1 '^itK' thW* jafeistanbtF of' tho shipowners;: and anyieffort'prt'.thV 'part:cf political parties to remove/them'"would '-bo , : abisolut : ely:.-'initfe6tive:'.'' : " t '.'"'^.;■■•.-• .:•. '<<i : - : : ! ■■>>[ '■■■ ■■.•!,"■" ■■■' .•■'•-,' -:■' :.i\:-:;-"f r> \0 . •;■-• -i-..-- -"■-.! -.■■.-■