HARBOUR BOARDS SEEK REMOVAL OF SHIPPING CONTROL

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1948, Page 6

HARBOUR BOARDS SEEK REMOVAL OF SHIPPING CONTROL

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, October 14. Disapproval of the provisions of Sections 2 and 9 of the amended Harbours’ Act, sections which related to the direct representation of workers in the wanterfront industry, as Government nominees, and to the provisions for appeal, was expressed in a motion carried by the Harbours Association of New Zealand at its annual conference. It was agreed to,advise the Minister of Marine, Mr F. Hackett, accordingly, and, at the same time, to record his assurance that the matter would be reconsidered in 12 months’ time.

Moving that the conference express its disapproval, Mr W. L. Fitzherbert a member of the Wellington Harbour Board, said that, of all the local bodies functioning in New Zealand, harbour boards could take credit for accomplishing good work, and that good work should not be disturbed.

“If we let the matter rest the Government will assume that the .Harbours Association is quite satisfied with the amendment to the Act/’ he added. “The Government should be made to see that we resent interference with our work, and we should be allowed to conduct our affairs in our own way.” The president, Mr W. H. Price, Wellington, expressed the view that the matter should have been handled by the Local Bodies Commission which had been set up for the express purpose of investigating local body affairs. Mr Price said that the Minister had referred to co-opera-tion. “We all seek co-operation and goodwill to achieve our desired ends,”' he added. “The harbour boards iare not concerned with politics. They have no party feelings, but are working in the interest of the commuhity. I feel convinced that, in 12 months’ time, the men concerned by the amendment to this Act will feel that they would rather have the old order than the system which will be governed by an intended appeal board,” he added.