HARBOURS' CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1787, 27 June 1913, Page 3

HARBOURS' CONFERENCE.

TO BE HELD NEXT MONTH. The annual conference of the New Zealand Harbours' Association is to be held in Wellington (probably at tho Town Hall), on- July :iO, when all harbour boards in New Zealand are expected to be represented. The following remits liavo been forwarded by tho Wellington Harbour Hoard: — Dues on Government Goods.—That tho Government be requested to amend tho Harbours Act so that all Government geods passing over or using, the board'* wharves, shall pay dues m the same manner as ordinary mercantile cargo. Dues on Government Vessels.— I That the Government be requested to amend the Harbours Act so that Government coal hulks and other vessels engaged in commercial trading shall pay harbour dues and licenses. Exemption of Mail Steamers from Harbour Dues.—That the Government bo 'requested to omit from futuro mail contracts the special clause exempting steamships carrying mails from payment of harbour dues. Compensation for Lands Taken. —That tho Government bo requested to amend Section 12U of the Harbours Act, 11I0S, to provide that where land is taken from a Harbour Board by the Government, the compensation payable shall ill every case be the full value of tho land at tlie time of such taking. Foreshore Licenses. —That Section 131 of tho Harbours Act, 1!)0S, be amended by giving power to boards to grant l'oresiiore licenses to lay down boat-sheds and skids of a fixed, limited size for pleasure purposes, and suction pipes for conveyance of sea .water, without tho necessity of obtaining the approval of tho Governori ill-Council, provided that such licenses shall contain a provision that the board shall be entitled at any time to determine the same without compensation to tho licensee upon giving the licensee three months' written notice thereof, the licensee to have the right to remove structures erected by him.

Simultaneous Elections.—That elections for members of all local bodies be held upon tho same date, and at triennial intervals. Kolls of Local Authorities.—That tho cost of compiling and printing a sufficient number of rolls for the 'harbour board elections by tho various local authorities within a harbour district should bo lx)i'iie by such local authorities respectively. Cost of. Elections.—That in rejpect of any harlxmr board election that is held simultaneously with the election of members of the local authority, where it is necessary to hold a poll for such local election,'the harbour board shall be liable only for the. costs of advertising and printing, other than compilation and printing of rolls, and a sum equivalent to 10 per cent, of the actual cost to llio local authority of conducting its own and the harbour "board election apart from costs of advertising <ind printing.