THE HARBOUR BOARD ELECTIONS.

Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 31, 8 February 1888, Page 2

THE HARBOUR BOARD ELECTIONS.

* Although very little interest appears as yet to be taken in it, the Harbour Board election, which takes place on Monday next, is an important one. The Harbour Board is decidedly the best managed local body in Wellington, and it is not second even to the City Council in the important character of the functions which devolve upon it, or the interests confided to its care. It is very necessary, therefore, that the publio should evince an intelligent interest in the composition of the Board. It consists of ten members. Threo of these, Messrs. Pearce and Wheeler, and Captain Williams, are nominated by the Governor. The Mayor of Wellington is a member ex ojjicio, and the remaining six members — all of whom now go out of office — are Messrs. Duthie and Petherick, who represent the ratepayers, Captain Rose, who represents the payers of shipping dues, Mr. Dransfield, who represents the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Booth, who represents the Wairarapa County Counoils, and Mr. Chew, who represents the Hutt County Council. We do not know whether the two last named constituencies desire to make any change in their representatives, although we have heard a rumour that Mr. Chew is not unlikely to give way to Mr. Lancaster, who was formorly a member of the Board. Captain Rose and Mr. Dransfield are not likely to meet with any opposition to their re-election, as it is generally conceded that they are valuable members of the Board, and have done much good service in the past. For the two seats which are in the gift of the ratepayers of the city, there are, however, four candidates. Of these, Mr. Duthie, the able and energetio Chairman of the Board, may be regarded as certain to secure re-election. He thoroughly deserves it, and his absence from the Board would be a serious public loss. Almost every ratepayer who goes to the poll on Monday will no doubt give Mr. Duthie one of his votes. Mr. Petheriak, the other retiring member, also seeks re-eleotion, but he will hardly command Buch unanimous support as Mr. Duthie. Opinions will probably be somewhat divided as to his value as a member of the Harbour Board, but we feel bound to say that while he has held that position his conduct in it has been unexceptionable, and has been entirely free from the eccentricity and cantankerousness which he has bo frequently displayed in the City Council. A third candidate is Mr. Joseph Lachman, who is new to public life in Wellington, and probably not very well known to the majority of electors. Mr. Lachman has resided here for some years as the representative of Messrs. P. Hay man and Co., a large and wealthy firm which has branches all over the oolonies, and which is now building a fine warehouse here on tho reclaimed bind, fronting Victoria-street. Mr. Lachman is a shrewd, energetio businessman, and would no doubt make an active and useful member of the Harbour Board should he be elected. The fourth candidate —Mr. Tysen — is also without a public record, beyond the fact that he unsuccessfully contested Cook Ward at the last City Council election. He is the proprietor of a washing establishment, and has, we believe, some practical experience of wharf working, having for some time been engaged on the Queen's Wharf. Whether the ratepayers will deem this a sufficient qualification for a Beat on the Harbour Board will be shown by the result of the ballot on Monday.