HARBOUR BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1430, 3 May 1912, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

4 CHOICE OF CHAIRMAN. MU. R. TT,ETCHER liK-KLKCTKD. The stululoiy meetinsoftlioWi'lliiifilon Harbour Board was held ypsli-rda.v lit elect a chairman for the ensuing year, 'l'hero were present: Messrs. (.'. W ■ •li" 1 ""'. E. I), lieiilioi-, W. .1. Jfil.irt-tli, J. Troror, J. E. I'ltzserald, A. H. Himlinn.rsli. .M.l'., K. I'lelcher, P. C. l'l-eeth, .!■ 'y MacFai-lane, J. tl. Hai'liiie:..-", C. L. Daniell, and M. Cohen. As the staiiilc provides, the secretary of the board i.itr. Jl. .\ieholls), jtreiidrd until tho election was determined. There were two candidates for Ihe position—.Mr. I?. I'leieher (the retiring chairman), and .Mr. .1. lliirkuess. The result of the voting was that -Mr. I'letcher was elected by nine votes to four. Mr. J. Trevor said that he had admired tho late chairman's bsi-iineis tactics. in his conduct of the board's business. One special qualification that he had lor reeled ion was his close association wiln shippiiif; and wharf affairs. If elected again, lie felt sure (hat 3fr. Elelcher would conduct, thr. Itoard's work as well as formerly. He had much pleasure in proposing Jfr. Fletcher. Mr. Freeth seconded the nomination. Mr. Jones said that in making another nomination ho had no personal feeling against Mr. Fletcher. He did not propose to criticise Mr. Fletcher's methods, though he had felt at times that they might possibly be open to criticism. U'-it there were other members of the board who were deserving of consideration in their honourable ambition to become chairman. As regards fcniority, (hero were three town members to be considered, Messrs. Harkness, M'Eweis, and himself. He believed that the affairs of all classes interested in .shipping could be well entrusted to Mr. Harkr.ess, whom he would nomiuato as chairman for (he coming year.

Mr. Daniell seconded the nomination. He enlarged upon tho fact that a groat deal of work of the board was done by the executive head. So much was dono that he had sometimes felt that it was scarce worth his while to coiuo to town t.o record his vote. He did not bolieyo in one-man government, and thought that it would be wiser to allow another member to occupy the chair. Ha had ths highest appreciation, however, for tho way in which Mr.'Fletcher had done tho work. Mr. Renner supported Mr. Haritness's nomination, agreeing in substance with what Mr. Jones had said. Jfr. Fitzgerald thought the board had every reason to congratulate itself on the two aspirants for the position of chairman, but he intended to support Jfr. Fletcher. Ho believed that the new chairman should b» elected with the new board, and should hold office for two years—tho term of the board's duration. It was paid that Mr. Floiehor had been too masterful as a head, but the head must he a strong man, and 3rr. Fletcher had won his position by his strong personality. Jfr. MaeFarlnne did not sec why a Droved, capable administrative head should bo removed from office. He did not think fhat Jfr. Fletcher luid ever deserved tho reproach fhat ho did not allow country members to know enough of tho business. Mr. nildreth supported Mr. Fletcher for the reason, as he stated, that it would not bo wise to disturb continuity by a change of chairman while tho board had uncompleted schemes 011 hand. The secretary then took the voto of member*, vhicii resulted as follows:— For Jfr. Fletcher.—Jfe c srs. Cobb", C'olion, Fitzgerald, Freo'h, Fletcher. TTiidretli, Hindmarsh, MacFarlane, and Trevor. For Mr. Harkness.— Messrs. Daniell, Harkness. .Tones, nnd Kenner. Mr. Fletc.har was therefore declared elcc',ed, and he took his seat at tho head of tho board table. Acknowledgments, and a Challenge. Mr..Fletcher thanked members for tho honour done him in voting him to tho chair for another year, and for the remarks niado concerning his conduct of business. It might. be said that . ho was monopolising.- tho" office, but ho had been asked to stand, nnd ho desired to hold the position again. He had never asked anyone to voto for him ; he would not do it. Ho had never, 110 thought,, been partial to any member or section of members, and ho hoped to go 011 as formerly. He thought tho Wellington Harbour Board as a local body was second to nona in the Dominion, and ho was proud of his association with it.

Mr. Harkness said 110 rose for tho third timo as. a defeated candidate to thank those who had supported him. lie had never coveted tho ofli.ee, nnd ho had ;never asked anyone to vote for him. He wished to echo this word of warning about the board's business—that when Mr. Fletcher sat at the table as a private member thero had not been a single meeting at which ho had not said that certain things discussed in committee should -lie taken in open board. He (Mr. Harkness) had 110 hesitation in saying that there was less business done in open board during Jlr. Fletcher's chairmanship than hitherto. Tho Chairman: "That is not so.' Jlr. Harkness: "But it is so." Jlr. Fletcher: "That is contrary to fact." Jlr. Harkness: "Well, I am only stating my opinion." He added that ho would pledge himself to support loyally the chairman, but he asked iiim to take tin's matter into consideration. Jlr. Fletcher said that tho statements mado by Jlr. Harkness were not borno out by fact. Any member of the board eouid go through tho board's records since he hail been chairman, and ho would find that thero had been less committeo business than ever before. Certain matters which it would have been wrong to make public had certainly been taken in committee, but Jlr. Harkness would have been the first to find fault if it had been taken in the board. Mr. Harkness: "Very well; you have thrown out a challenge, and at the pr.opcr timo I will take it us.'