DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER.

Evening Post, Volume XIII, Issue 75, 29 March 1876, Page 2

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER.

A joint deputation of the pity Council and Chamber of Commerce, consisting of his Worship the Mayor, -Messrs. Levin, L. Greenfield, Gillon, Pharazyn, Mills, Johnston, and George, waited on the hon. the Premier at noon to-day. The Mayor, as spokesman for the Council, said that the deputation waited on Sir Julius Vogel with reference to the question of wharf extension. He had sent a memorandum to him a few days before, showing what was required. The trade and commerce of Wellington had been growing largely of late, and the wharf accommodation was by no. means sufficient. The City Gouncil had hot the necessary funds to make the necessary extension, although they wished to* do so, and they had gone to the Government with the hope that they might get assistance. The plans and specifications of the proposed extension had been submitted to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works for his approval, ond the estimated cost was between £10,000 and £12,000. That was the sum they were anxious' to negotiate a loan for. They were not coming to the Government in forma pauperis to sue for the money, because they would be quite able to nay it in the course of time. He felt - justified in saying that, if they, had . . power . to borrow, they could go into the market at once and get it. As they had not that power, however, they were compelled to. appeal to the 'Government for help. Dr. Pollen, when he was Premier, had told a deputation which waited on him on the same subject, that there might be some way in which the Government could assist them. He knew that Sir Julius Vogel felt an interest in the Wellington harbor, and as the proposed extension might almost be regarded as a colonial undertaking, they thought the best thing- they could do, was to wait on him. The extension referred to need not interfeve with- anything the Government might intend to do with reference to harbor administration, because even if a harbor board were formed, the first thing they would probably do would be to take over the responsibility of the present loan. It was of vital importance to the city that the proposed extension should be made before the next wool season. He would mention that* the blocks which sometimes occurred on the wharf were caused by the large quantities of railway plant, &c.,. which were brought to the colony tor the General Government, and for which the Corporation received nothing. , , Mr. W. H. Levin • endorsed the Mayor's remarks as to the pressing need for increased wharf accommodation. He feared that unless additional accommodation were provided, the port would suffer. ' / Mr. E. W. Mills stated that when the deputation waited on Dr. Pollen, that gentleman told them that the £8000 paid by Messrs. Turnbull & Co. for the Reclaimed Land could not be drawn out of the , Treasury for the purpose for which they required it. - At the same time, Dr. Pollen said, that if the deputation' could show in what way the Government could assist them, he had' no doubt the Government would be willing to meet their wishes. ' ¦ ¦ ! ' Sir Julius Vogel said that since he received the memorandum referred to by the Mayor, he had conferred with other Ministers on the subject, and was, therefore, in a position to give a conclusive reply to the application of the deputation. In reply he would say that the Government had no money to spend on such an undertaking at present. If they found the money they would be expending it without authority, and this was a case in which the Government did not consider- they would be right in so doing, although they%were allowed a certain discretion in such matters. He would take the opportunity of telling them what was the Government view of. the question. The whole country was anxious to know what policy the Government intended to pursue with regard to works of that kind, and the demands ior harbor works were enormous in many parts ot the colony. Consequently, if the Government were to grant the request of the deputation, they might be flooded with applications of a similar sort from all parts of the country. The fact was that the Government thought that what they asked for was unnecessary. Parliament would meet in, a couple of months or so, and then the Government would be willing to assist them to obtain what they required to carry out these works. The Government, moreover, were of opinion that the control of the wharf should be vested in a Harbor Board, as was the case in Otago and Auckland. If they decided upon having a Harbor Trust, they would have abundant security to offer for a loan. If it were placed on the same footing as Auckland and Otago, the Harbor Trust would have to erect a wharf for the convenience of the railway, and the Government would collect the rates for the benefit of the harbor trust. He would suggest that a provisional committee should be formed to make arrangements with the Corporation for forming a harbor trust. He was obliged to refuse the loan, but really the Government were unable .to .do it. The- Government were , strongly, of opinion that the management of the harbor .should be taken from the Corporation and placed in the hands of a harbor trust. :He "concluded by intimating his willingness, to answer any questions thatmight be asked.' , In reply to questions, the Premier said it would be" for the parties 'interested to decide how the harbor trust should d© constituted'; and that additional security for a loan might be given, by, levying" a special rate upon some district that would be prominently benefitted by the harbor works. Mr. Pharazyn thought the City Council had quite enough to do in looking after the ' drainage of the city, and the water and gas supplies, without interfering with the harbor. Sir Julius Vogel was of opinion that it would be better to keep the Council and the Harbor Board distinct and separate. The deputation then thanked the Premier, I and withdrew. '