HARBOR BOARD TROUBLES

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4460, 30 January 1917, Page 6

HARBOR BOARD TROUBLES

, ' CAPTAIN PRO,BERT'S LETTER

AN APOLOGY TO BE ASKED FOR

A report was received at the meet-

ing of the Harbor Board yesterday | : afternoon from the special committee] set up to consider the letter from | Captain Probert received at the pre- ! xv vious monthly meeting. It forward- j ed a letter from Captain Probert 4; with a recommendation that the letter be accepted. Captain Probert’s ■ letter was as follows:—“With regard ; T to the letter which I wrote to Mr j Townley, in reference to pumping op- j orations and the benefits derived , from same, I beg to state (1). The letter I wrote I considered was a. private one to Mr Townley, (2). At the time I was not an employee of the Board, (3). The reason the letter was written was for the. purpose of leaving a record of what I considered the true state of the river, and the benefits I knew had been accomplished by the action of the pumping, (4). In my letter I did not make reference to any person in particular, but generally, to all those who are opposed to tlic present pumping, or who think the present scheme will not prove a success, (5). In reference to the very severe cross-examination I had to undergo before your Board, I did make certain statements against two of your members, but only under extreme pressure and which I now very much regret.” In discussing the letter, Dr Collins congratulated the committee upon the settlement of the matter. After traversing the remarks made by Cap- J tain Probert in his second letter to j the' Board, he moved that the report j of the committee should be accepted. Mr Witters seconded. Mr Preston said that in the first | place the Captain of the Arahura had j been mentioned, and he had told the speaker a few days ago that lie (Capt- j ain Dryden) had not referred to the ; matter of the pumping, except to say j that it was slow work. Speaking for j himself, Mi- Preston said that lie had i tried to push on the work of clearing out tlie harbor as much as he could. He was going to stand by all the statements he had made. Good men in the employ of the Board were being spoilt by the administration. Such a thing as that which had happened at the last meeting was a serious reflection against the administration of the Board. . Mr. Brown considered that Captain ( •Probert’s letter was not satisfactory. He was not going to allow the matter remiajn, but intended taking it o a higher tribunal than the Harboi Board. \ . , Mr Holden said that he was not prepared to accept Captain 1 robert s statement, and moved as an amendment that lie be asked to send m hi It was pointed out to Mr Holden that the Board was not dealing with Captain Probert’s letter but with the committee’s report. His motion lapsed for the want of a seconder The motion to accept the committee’s reoort was carried. . Mr Holden moved his resolution referred to above. He added tliat the statements there were coi ati a y to the statements made at the Boaid table by Captain Probert. Dr Collins seconded. He said the Board was placed m a -peculiar pos - •tion. The matter so tar as the com jnittee was concerned, was finishedlie pointed out that the two members of the Board concerned were not satisfied with Captain Probert b The Board had either to accept Cap tain Probert’s statements and allow the two members to resign, oi b> a- v mcr Captain Probert to resign, to dicate the two members Mr Wallis said that- Messrs Biown and 1 Preston had. in his opinion a case a vain st the dredge-master, but he did not think the Board had the right to adjudicate as a Court oft La • The Board should have dealt with the mniter tit the time. Dr Rllms said that tl, ? matter was referred to a committee m oidei tin t an explanation might be forthcoming. a Mr Palmer said that the committee had received Captain 1 robert s fett-e and its recommendation was accep e - He did not think the Board should push the matter further. Mr Wallis wanted to know whethe Captain Probert was to be asked to resign because of incapacity or be cause of statements concerning two members of. the Boaid. Dr Collins said that it was not a question of practical incapacity but of his incapacity in Ins dealings with the Board. If Captain Probert were wise he would write a letter of apolocry to the Board. He asked members Brown and Preston whether they would accept an apology from Captain Probert. Members Brown and Preston said that they-would be satisfied with an apology through the press. Dr Collins then moved that Captain Probert be written to requesting a letter of apology to the Board for the personal statements against two members, failing this, the Board to regret having to ask for his resignation. . After further discussion, the last clause of the resolution was struck out. , , , Mr Witters said that he did not think the Board should sit as a Court of Law upon the matter. Mr Preston said that he had no fault to find with Captain Probert. He would welcome suggestions and reasonable criticisms from the Board s employees in matters for the iveliaie of the port. Captain Probert was a < r ood man and had done good w’Oii but he took exceptions to Ins 1 statements regarding the members ot the Board. , ~ , . t> „ Mr Palmer said that Captain 1 robert had regretted these Statements Mr Wallis remarked that the Boaid was still adjudicating upon the mat-

j3 r Collins said that Captain Probert was asked to substantiate bis charges and was given ample opportunity to do so. ... , The motion finally submitted to the Board was:—“That Captain 5 robert be requested by letter to foiward to the Board within U days a letter of apology for the personal statements of untruthfulncss niacG by him against two members of the motion was carried; Messrs Preston and Brown did not vote.