NAIVE INDEED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 821, 19 May 1910, Page 7

NAIVE INDEED.

HON. J. A. MILLAR'S ADMISSION. REGARDING FOXTON WHARF. IB; Teleerap&.-Brecin! Oorrejoondont.) Palmerston North, Slay 18. A special meeting of the Foxfon Harjour Board was hold at Palmerston today to consider matters in connection with tho purchaso of the wharf from the Government. "Negotiations have been under way for some time and, at the'suggestion of . the Minister for Railways, the Board wrote asking that a prico be placed on the wharf. T|ie following resolution had been carried at that 'meeting:— "That this board acting on the suggestion of the Hon., J. A. Millar, do now nsk the Minister to favourably consider tho purchase by tho board of tho w'liarf now in use. If tho Minister agrees to the proposal will ho state in what way tho price has been arrived at; also what terms ho.would agree to for tho payment of the same." Tho Minister had since asked that tho words "now in use" should be deleted from the motion, and it was\this that the board mot this morning to .consider;; ......

The chairman of the board (Mr. 11.I 1 . J. Hennessy) moved: "That the-words objected to by the .Minister be struck out." He stated that the Minister had ■ told him that the Government had a "good thing" in the wharves, and were at piesent making between £2000 and £3000 a year, out of them. .'Messrs.; J. G. Wilson and J. A. Nash were against deleting tlio words, and the latter added he intended to move that the board a-s a whole wait ou thn -Minister.

A rather heated argument ensued between the chairman and Mr. Nash, the former accusing Mr. Nash inferential!}' of trying to "work a .point" in suggesting that the matter, should, bo put olf until other membors of tho board could be present, and Mr. Nash accusing the chairman of not treating him fairly. ■ Mr. Wilson also stated that he did not . consider that Mr. Nash was reooiving_fair treatment from the chairman Mr. Wilson wont on to say that lie did not think that there would bo much result from tho deputation. Ho believed that it would bo ultimately accessary to petition Parliament on tho matter before tho hoard gained, its points. What tho Board wanted on tho matter was. publicity, so that the public might realise how unjustly it was being treated. In stating that the Government had "a good thing" Mr. Millar had given the whole show awav. rim public would see that and he considered that, ,f tho whole thing were thrashed out beforo Parliament, tho people would roaliso how hard a row the board had to hoe. t,lp question jffectcd the whole district and a strong deputation should go to the Minister on a question of such importance. Tho wharf was the crux of . the whole positoon, and tho board could do nothing fall it got tho wharf. Tho matter could not bo trifled with. ■ Eventnally it was agreed to dolet© lbI" tho Minister, and that tho wholo board wait upon Dim as a depntatiou.