BOWLING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2115, 25 June 1907, Page 2

BOWLING.

One of the finest singles games ever witnessed on the Gisborne Bowling Club’s green was played yesterday afternoon between Messrs. W. Pettie and R. Robertson, in the handicap singles contest. The handicap (2) .was in j)f;\ ,I’ettie’s favor,.’ and Mr. Robertson fajlejJ to recover it. It was a magnificent contest throughout, and was finally won by Sir, Pottie by the narrow margin of 3 points (inclusive of 2 points handicap). Even on the 21st head the game was undecided, for when Mr. Robertson had played liis last bowl he laid tile required number of points,to win (2), but Mr. Pef-tie with his.fiiAl bowl in tlio game carried EJ6ty. with-him and lay 2. The final game in the contest will be played between Mr. Pettie and Mr. ‘Corson, and should prove very interesting. The game will be played to-morrow or on Thursday.

OUTER HARBOR SCHEME • 1 FURTHER INFORMATION. * ACCURACY QUESTIONED BY CHAIRMAN. ANOTHER FRUITLESS MEETING. 1 lu submitting tlio rovised'Enabling Bill to the Harbor Board yesterday, Messrs. Clirisp and Coleman, the Board’s solicitors, wrote that Hi placing it before tho House it would bo necessary to append (1) the financial position of the Board, (2) the estimated cost of construction, (3) tho_ estimated increased revenuo to bo dorivod from tho proposed' works, and (4) tlio plans and surveys. The last bal-ance-shoet would sulfico for (1), unci tho estimates (2) could bo made rip without difficulty. Regarding tlio revenue to bo derived, tho statement onclosod would, if approved by the Board, bo sufficient. Mr. Marclmnts plan and survoy would answer tho purposes of (4). A further letter from the solicitors stated that they would also require a statement table B liow’ing— lnterest on £400,000 at 4 per cent. £16,000, sinking-fund at 1 per cent. £2OOO, £IB,OOO. Income : Rato of Id m the £ capital value in tho Borough of Gisborno; ditto Id in Cook County; ditto id in Waiapu County (amounts to bo filled in). “As the Bill provides for Crown and native land rating,” it was added, “please include in above estimate of rates the amount dorivablo from Crown and native land

rates.” THE COMMITTEE’S STATEMENT. The statement drawn up by tlie Committee was as follows: Estimated increased revenue to be derived from the proposed work: Annual saving in river expend:.ture iftor allowing over £2OOO to bo still expended upon river, £6000; present revenue from ships £.5000 may be increased if nocessary to £IO,OOO to be in lino with charges of other ports, Direct saving:—Total cargo lightered last year, 39,618 tons; deduct say Nelson Bros, (as they would-still have to lighter), 5726 tons; bg'derage, 6s per ton o n 33,892 tons, £B4<3. Total imports last rear, 46,37 J tons- say 10,000 tons imported from outside 'of colony, saving varying from 16s to 22s per ton, say at 1/s bd per ton through being landed atAxisborne, instead of at other centres, 08750. Total -of above, £28,220. " Incidental increase: —Extra revenue from Tauwlinreparae lease when it falls in, in four years time, say, £5000; extra increase of revenue (last year’s was £2179),. say at ratio of £2OOO per annum in next four years’ time, £BOOO. Grand total £41,223. COST OF CONSTRUCTION

The solicitors submitted the followig for approval: Estimate of the cost of construction of the proposed new harbor: Quarry railway, £22,900; locomotives and quarry plant, ru,) “ bio mound 4650 ft long, £202,790; sea staging, £6000; wharf— timber wharf 1350 ft long, £43,200; reclamation at root, £8000; railway connection with Government station, £8000; *l?°°?'* ings, lights, and sundries, £o00U; papa rock reclamation at beach, £2OOO : contingencies and supervision, £2O 000; for probable concrete block structure, sav, £19,110. Grand total, £350,000. Mr. Sievwriglit: Mho takes the responsibility for the revenue state •lient? „ , ... Mr. livsnar: The Board will. The Chairman (Mr. Townley): 1 would not accept any responsibility for these figures. They are absolutely misleading.” Proceeding, lie instanced the £6,000 on river works. This was a revenue the Board had had tor years; how could a* saving he classed as increased revenue on the outer harbour. Port dues were all right;, but the saving on lighterage was problematical. As to Home cargo lie totally disagreed with the figures. He was positive there was not Iu.UUU tons imported to Gisborne, if divided by three the quantity would be nearer the mark. There were no houses which got very big imports. Increased revenue from Tauwliareparae was not contingent upon t'lie outer harbour being built; it would come when the leases fell due in any case. Moreover, could anyone say that the general revenue would increase to £8,000? Ho proposed that, before such a statement was sent to Parliament, a committee should he set up to ascertain the figures as accurately as possible. Reverting to inward Home cargo he said one month the total was 75 tons, ancP another month 60 tons. Mr. Harris: IVliat month was that. I suppose it was too rough for the steamers The Chairman: It was May last year. I cannot sav whether it- was rough or nbt He was talking of cargo shipped direct to this port, irrespective of whether it was transhipped or not. Mr. Lysnar said there was 10.000 tons of direct cargo. Mr. Lysnar: IVe don’t say anything of the kind. A lot comes from other ports. The Chairman instanced that a lot of wool packs came from Calcutta: iioiji; of that came direct. Ho could not. see how the 5s for lighterage and the lTfTSd:in the. next item coincided. The saving'bf s£riwas included in the 17slid„ I,t.tyas a'bsiml.tp claim credit •*fe. OH" TlTffi-'Stfitcmcnt'showed the (MT?Hic.r v warn leeway 'witliont-^atesj;.but he -maintained thpi-figurcs were:'quite proposed that tile Fi 11 it tee investigate and draw upbatf amended estimate It- was stated that no successor to Mr. TTardiug had yet been appointed on the committee, and the Chairman accordingly withdrew his motion. Mr. Lysnar moved that- the figures submitted by the selectors and recommended by t-lie committee, be approved bv the Board

Mr. Si'evNvriglit: Wlmt authority had the committee? No committee was appointed by the Board . Mr. Lysnar: A committee . was appointed to confer with the solicitors and take all steps necessary to submit the Bill to Parliament. The Chairman said the committee was to confer about rating, etc. He though its powers had not been sufficiently specified. The minutes being appealed to, the secretary said the resolution was in general' terms. This came through not having' the motions in writing. Mr. Lysnar contraverted the Chairman’s views. As to the £601)0, the very estimate of expenditure laid oil the'table that day showed that they were going to spend £6700 that year. The expenditure had varied from £B,OOO to £IO,OOO for a number of curring outlay; but could not a large saving be effected by having the outer harbor? Would this not be extra revenue at their command? The Chairman : Wc are getting the benefit of the. expenditure on the river. ?■'

Mr. Lysnar: After allowing £2OOO per annum in future for the river there will still be a saving of £6OOO. This was the only item Mr. Townley objected to at the committee meet-

The Chairman:' Certainly not. I objected to the 10,000 toil item. Mr Matthewson : I think you gave in on the 10,000 ton item, recognising as we did that it was an estimate.

Mr. Lysnar (to the Chairman): You agree with the saving of 5s per ton lighterage on 33,800 tons. The only point is the 10,000 item. I asked the Collector of Customs on what basis ho coukl suggest in making a fair and accurate estimate. He said

to take out the produce and agriculturahfproduce from the total, then to deduct half froip" the miscellaneous (15,000 tons), and tlie figures could bo made from the balance. On that basis the Board’s secretary was asked to give the figures. The total' imports are about 46,000 tons, and the figures the clerk adduced for use were 9350 tons, to he exact. I don’t consider 10,000 an exaggeration for future trade. I am .willing to alter it

to 9,350. Mr. Matthewson: There is no need to alter it. It is impossible to estimate accurately; the total might ho

inch greater. Mr. Lysnar: I think we alLagree hat the Tauwhareparae leases will

increase £5,000 in four years. The Chairman: Yes, but the increase will come without the harbor. Mr. Lysnar: Wo are pledging our rents, and must tell Parliament what our revenue from that source will be. Mr. Matthewson considered another £2OOO or £3OOO on top of that figure would not be too high. Mr. Lysnar: We can get more,.hut I am content to leavo it at that.” As to the natural increase, of trade, lie argued that his estimate was justified. The local works had. to ho increased in size for next season to cope with Ihe output. Therefore the objection wqs pinned down to the 10,000 tons of direct imported He was willing to meet the phairman, and cut down -that estimate. Mr. Matthewson: Leave it alone. Mr. Lysnar: Shut their mouths and then' they can’t cavil, Mr. Harris: We can never stop that. .(Laughter.) ■ Mr. Lysnar : To disarm Mr. I ownlev I will cut that item ofL Mr. Harris: Are you trying to buy his vote? (Laughter.) . - Mr. Lysnar: I am trying to shut his mouth. - The Chairman: He is trying to choke me with a lot of figures. (Laughter.) _ , . . Mr. Lysnar (to Mr. Townley): This only leaves you with one leg to 6tand on—the £6OOO item you auestioil—and I venture to say-you will be la a 1

minority on tlint. I wove that with I ■theso alterations we approve of this statement to he submitted with the I Bill to Parliament. Mr. Matthewson seconded. Thoj Act said there must ho a saving, and undoubtedly that could ho shown. Ho did not trouble much about the exact! iligums; no ono could say whftt thoy would bo in five or six years. Everything pointed to the trade figures increasing much more rapidly than in! the past. After all tho question was, “How are wo going to pay the interest i'" Cnairmnii and members: Hear,

hear. ... , i Mr. Matthewson said ho had I drawn up a few figures. Ho was proceeding to quote them when I Mr. Sievwright considered timo was I being wasted. A proper financial statement was of the utmost import-1 mice, and should not be approved without the fullest consideration. He knew nothing about tho statement, and had not scon it till that afternoon. “This is an attempt, as far as I can sec,” he protested, “to force] on us a thing omanating from a self-1 appointed committee, in an unconstitutional way.” Tho finance committee should presont a..report. A point of order as to tho 'term “self-appointed committee” was rais-

ed. Tho Chairman said there war; a committee appointed, but he did not understand that they should prepare a statement, force it through the Board, and send it on with the Bill. He anticipated that the whole Board should have some say in it. Ho suggested that tho Board convene a special meeting to consider it. Mr. Matthewson attached no importance to tho statement, but he entirely disagreed. If those figures went forward Parliament would reject the Bill until there was a proper and reason able statement. It must be something near tho mark, at all

events. Mr. Sievwright: I say, let us know what wo are doing. We arc not going to stultify ourselves with a document of that kind. ■ . Mr. Lysnar withdrew his motion in favor of submitting it to the Finance Committee. He had no desire to force the thing unduly, so long as it was desired to go- into the matter on

its merits. . 1 Mr. Sievwright: I am not going to be led blindfolded into a scheme like this. , , I The Chairman: We have to raise I £41,000. Tho money must he found if the scheme is carried. Very well; we want to know who is going to pay I it, or where it is going to come from. Mr. Sievwright: All previous.financial matter came before the Finance I Committee. Why did not this one? 1 Mr. Lysnar: No one is objecting to I that, • . Mr. Matthewson: IV e will miss this session unless we wake up. I Mr. Lysnar: Wo must have the Bill advertised and introduced into the House within 30 days after Parliament opdns. Tlie Chairman suggested that the Finance Committee meet the following afternoon, and the Board on Thursday. Mr. Lysnar: Will the committee meet to-night? Mr. Sievwright: I won’t attend. I want time to go through it. | Two meetings oil Wednesday 7 wore suggested, but “mail day” was the drawback. Mr. Sievwright: You can’t expect a man to give up his buiness altogether. Mr. Lysnar was appointed to fill the vacancy on the Finance Committee.

After desultory discussion it was I agreed that the Board as a whole I meet in committee at 10 a.m. the I following day, a general meeting to] follow. I Mr. Sievwright wanted to know I why copies of the much-debated state- I ment had not been circulated among I members. “It is a most abominable 1 way to do public business.” 1 The Chairman (warmly) : The com-1 mittee meeting was only held on Sat-1 urday afternoon. There has been no I time. We have just got the solicitors’ letter. Mr. Sievwright: That doeumeut should never have been laid before us like that. Mr. Lysnar: Who are you blaming for that? Mr. Whinray resented the criticism. The committee did the work they were appointed to do. Mr. Lysnar said if there was blame for not providing copies, the chairman and secretary were responsible, not the committee. The Chairman : I tell you there was no time. Mr. Sievwright (to Mr. Lysnar): We are going to blame you. Mr. Lysnar: Yes, stick it on to me as usual. Something more was mentioned about Mr. Town-ley's attitude on the committee. The Chairman: Yes, I refused to agree to the £6OOO, and wanted it struck off. I thought that was done. Mr. Lysnar: Well, we objected to taking it off. The Chairman : There you are now. Don’t saddle me with it. < Mr. Lysnar: If you had got the secretary to make a copy of the solicitors’ letter and enclosures we would have had something to consider. Still arguing the point the Board adjourned.