THE TWO LOCAL BILLS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3461, 13 October 1913, Page 5

THE TWO LOCAL BILLS.

EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE A COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE.

PUBLICATION AT PRESENT PRIVILEGED. . The Gisborne Borough and Harbor Board Lands Exchange and Empowering Bill came before the Local Bills Committee of the House on Thursday last, when Mr J. R. Kirk, Mayor of Gisborne, and Mr W. D. S. MacDonald, supported the Bill, and Mr W. D. Lysnar and Frank Lowndes gave evidence in opposition to it, Mr Lysnar stated to a “Times” reporter that he considered Mr Lowndes was to be complimented on the manly way in which he gave his evidence before the committee. Although he was cros>questioned a good deal by Mr Kirk and Mr MacDonald, with a view to trying to break down his evidence they had not succeeded. He (Mr Lysnar) regretted that questions were raised and statements made which should in due course bo made clear to the public. As he had full notes of the proceedings he would make these public immediately the Committee made its report to the House, for until then the evidence given before the committee is privileged. and therefore cannot be published. Mr Lysnar also stated that the clause in the Act for river improvements repeating the Act of 1907 allowing a vote to be taken on the outer harbor was only struck out when the Bill came up for its third reading in the House. This is the clause, Mr Lysnar pointed out, which the Chairman of the Harbor undertook at a public meeting to have deleted. As the Bills now stand the ratepayers will have the right to vote for an outer harbor as well as on the inner harbor question.