"MISINFORMED?"

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1627, 19 December 1912, Page 6

"MISINFORMED?"

HARBOUR BOARD ADMINISTRA. TION. -..'■■■

NO INQUIRY,

Some tinie ago Mr. J. G. Harkness, a taember.ot .tne ,'Wellington .Harbour Board, moved for an inquiry into tne administration and the reorganisation o. the staff of tho board. The mutter was referred'to a'committee, apd last nigire tho board received from that committee the following report :-"In regard; to Mr. Harkness's motion re administration and •reorganisation of staff, this 1 commit ee «- • ports that no reason is contained in tne order of reference submitted by.- JU-γ. Harkness for h6lding an inquiry, as sufcgested by him, . and ' that therefore this committee has no recommendation to "Sin R. Fletcher; the' chairman, of .the Tjoard, said; that the' committee inquired into the matter as much as.it could, i believe," continued Mr. Fletcher ,that Mr. Harkness recognises the fact that tne information.he received /was wrong-that he had been misinformed. And had he not been .misinformed, I don't think Iβ would havesaid whathe did. . . . In-ie-gard to the staff, I don't think anything lould be brought against them. I think the best thing'the board can do is to let the matter drop, more particularly as this'is the -season oi the year when ones goodness of heart should, go out' towards "Mv. Chairman, . whilsfl believe-your expressions and your notion are very commendable,' 1 tnink it would bg much, more commendable in the .interestsof the board and of the staff if,, before you put the question (the motion to adopt'tile'cbmmitteoV report), Mr Harkness mado an explanation, lnis matter has. been given- a great deal of publicity, and, although I am not much surprised at what the man in the street may. say, I am surprised m the case ot a man of Mr.. -Harness's standing. I think it would be well irMr Harkness could see his■ way.to say that he realises now that he was misinformed, and tnat he'Tacognised that there ( Was nothing at oil in the charges made." •< ■, Mr: Harkness rose after a; slight pause ■in the.proceedings.. Hβ.said: .1 dont wish for one single moment to say _ a ■word which' will break the wish you (the ; 'jhairmaii) have expressed. .If it >ad not teen for the remark of Mr. Fitzgerald ,I should not." have risen to 'speak.. ... . Ine Wharre9 and Quays Committee know quite well where I received that information : ' : You have been; good enough to say that I was wrong, and have produced some returns to show that some'thin" was,done in excess of what I said. I am not sure that that refers to the jame steamer. I have not been able, to verify it." . ~ „ . The chairman: "The same voyage. Mr.-Ha'rkness: "If-you. will permit, I .will ray'no more until the board.is in iconvmittee." ~ , , The chairman. remarked that, tne. nest of men made .mistakes; at times. Of cour=e," he added, "it is always well for men "in public life to. verify information, and failure to do that appears-to be .tho mistake Mr. Harkness made. He hoped ■that,.the incident, wh,iph, had been-very unpleasant; to him, had closed.The report of the committee was then adopted. •■■ -■ " . ' .