HARBOUR BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 774, 24 March 1910, Page 5

HARBOUR BOARD.

THE SPIRIT OF REFORM. ■■; YESTERDAY'S MEETING. The proceedings at the monthly meeting of the Wellington; Harbour Board, which, was held yesterday afternoon, comprised several evidences of the feeling -that, reforms-are necessary, and of'a desire to bring them about. The members present were: Mr. R. Fletcher (chairman), the Hon. T;K. Macdonald, M.L.C., Dr. Newman, Messrs. T. M. Wilfori,: M.P;, :• 0;" W. Jones, F. H. Fraser,- J.'W; M'Ewan,. J. G. Harknessj M. Cohen, and F. G'. Bolton. !A REORGANISATION COMMITTEE. The board < in committee recommended, and the board resolved: "That \ special .committee, 1 consisting of the chairman, Messrs. Jones and M'Ewari,' be set up' to deal with the whole question, of the working of tb,e wharves, and : also with; the ? question of reorganisation;",V\ ', ' ■ "_■ ■':'_, "' ■'■'. ■ , ■;'..-.. ■' ■■';■• ' : t6 :atoid mistakes!. ■ Mr. Bolton moved, according to noiice: "That, prior, to the construction of any/ new wharves or jetties those interested in shipping be invited to we press their opinions as to the plans ind details of anysuch proposed work. ,, Hβ repelled the suggestion, which he said'had been -made' by some,, that the board; would be asking the. shippers to come in and do their business for them.'-.-: If: the advice of shippers had been'.'sought at an' earlier, period, the mistakes in the design of the King's Wharf' might have; been avoided. The motion would not bind the board to accept any advice that might be .-tendered.; ."J-' ■";■■;■■■■■■■■; ' ". :; ; -"■' Mr. .: Fraser seconded the, motion. The Hon. T. K. Macdonald said the motion was a tribute to the mover's fertility of resource, but lie seemed, to have overlooked the fact that it was the engineer's duty .to seek all the information necessary. It would be a fatal blunder. ~to introduce,. a system ander which amateurs' would be brought in to alter the engineer's plans. . The object,of the motion would bo met by the chairman's new system of monthly consultations with the board's principal officers.; '■••'■ ■■•.'..-< ' ■••'■■• . ■.•"■'■ :: •■ ; .'"

_ Mr.: C. W. Jones supported the motion. It would be a common-sense procedure to ask the big ship-ownerj what sort of wharf would best ■ suit their trade. ■■'■...'

Mr. J. W. M'Ewan thought the matter should be left to the board's officers. ' ■■■■-■'..

. Mr. J. G. Harkne3S opposed the motion, but thought the inquirer should get information and advice from a'l parties interested.. ~ .• s : ; : Dr. Newman opposed the motion, which was lost, ,the voting being 6 to 3.

EVENING MEETINGS, The chairman moved: "That in future the regular monthly, meetings of the board be held on the fourth Wednesday in each monthat 7.30 p.m., instead of as at present on the fourth Thursday at 2.15 p.m." . Mr. Fletcher insisted npon'the greater convenience to business men ofjjmeetings in the evening.' Mr. Cohen,""who had left the meeting approved, as a country member, or the proposed l change. His'idea was that the board would meet in committee in the ■'• afternoon preceding' the _ board meeting. .: . . . . Dr. Newman seconded the motion. Mr. ,Bolton and Mr. ..Jones objected. to the proposal as involving spending the afternoon and the evening- at Board! meetings.. : ~ .- :\ , .. ■ The chairmanjndicafced that he .would, drop suggestion that the board in oommittee should meet in the afternoon before each monthly.evening meeting. The motion was,carried by 7 to 2. : ' The chairman, also .stated that the Legislative Committee had • not completed its revision of the by-laws relating to the conduct of business, and wished tho order of.reference extended until the next monthly meeting. . This was granted. ', ,' . . . ... . .

;; FINANCE/ ~■. '::;■'. Credit .balances at the bank'"-were ported as; follow:—Current ; account, £16,860 as. 2d.; imprest acctfunt, £874 19s. Bd.; on fixed doposit, £71,100. . The following payments were authorised :—Accounts and wages, £12,054 9s. 2d.; progress payments on contracts, ■ £4481 05.10 d.; salaries for March, £748'85. 5d.; total, £17,283 18s. sd. [ TENDERS. The board in committee received 1 nine tenders for the supply of hoop steel, and accepted the lowest; tenders .were also received for the annual supplies/and services, and the board accepted the lowest in each case. Tenders for removal of rubbish were referred to the chairman, engineer, and secretary. ■. MISCELLANEOUS.. The Wharves Accounts Committee recommended: — . ■ 1. ',That two years' extension of time (from February 28, 1910) be granted to the C. and A. Odlin ■' Timber* and Hardware Company, Limited, in which to comply, with tho building conditions of Leases 10, 11, and 12, Cable Street Block. 2. To grant the application of Mr. H. R.' Lawry for permission to extend his boat shed at Jiaraka Bay, subject to the approval of the- plans by- the Uoveraor-in-Council, : 3. To cancel the foreshore license (No.; 81) held by Mr. J. Milesi. for oyster-bed at Balena Bay, and to instruct the boaid's engineer to report as to tho advisability or: otherwise of removing the bed. ■ '•'■■ The report was adopted. ' On tho recommendation of the Evans Bay Reclamation Committee, tho board decided to adopt the suggested "defined • area" as. per plan accompanying the letter of the Wellington Patent Slip Company, Limited, February 14, 1910, and to authorise the necessary survey to be made. , WITHDRAWN. In view of the passing of another resolution, as above,. the Hon. T. K. Macdonald withdrew his notice of motion to, set up a Finance Committee jdth a view to effecting economies. Mr. Harkness had given notice to move: "That the .board take into consideration when appropriations are being made for expenditure on new works during the year ending September 30, 1910 ; the advisability of allocating a specific sum to make adequate provision for the cold Storage of dairy proluce." When this order was reached, Mr. Harkness asked leave to withdraw it, because, important as the proposed work undoubtedly was, the board had not the money to undertake it at present. He hoped to bring, it forward again when the financial position had •mproved. . \ ' The motion was withdrawn. The board also (as reported else-j where) adopted an increased tariff of sharges on goods and shipping, and Approved the engineer's schedule of works, and probable expenditure.'