The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, MAY 11, 1923. THE NEW HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 9690, 11 May 1923, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, MAY 11, 1923. THE NEW HARBOR BOARD.

The County Council elections on Wednesday settled the question as to who should fill the remaining seats on the new Harbor Board. It will ber noted that there will be only two changes as compared with the previous Board, Mr O. H. Williams taking the place of Mr Henry White and Mr Dymoek securing the seat occupied by Mr Peacocke. On the new Board will, therefore, sit: .Messrs Smith, Mirlield, Todd, and Dr. Collins (representing the Borough); Messrs Tombleson, Slierratt, Witters, and C. H. Williams (representing Cook County); Messrs Holdsworth, 1 'ymock and Quirk (representing Waikdlm County), and Messrs A. H. Wallis and R. M. Birrell (representing the State). As in the case of the Borough contests, the nominees of the Vigilance Committee had a poor re- ; ception from the country ratepayers. : Mr C. B. Williams, who has been a strong critic of the old Board’s policy, managed, it is true, to secure election, but he docs not seem to have identified himself with the Vigilance Committee’s programme in toto. The result of the country elections must, in the main, therefore, be regarded as showing that the bulk of the country ratepayers are just as heartily sick of the policy (if tinkering further with the inner hifrbor as are the great majority of townsfolk. It may be suggested in some quarters—and erroneously we believe—that the elections in I respect of the new Harbor Board, | having made only a slight difference j in the personnel of that body, are not likelv to result in anv alteration

5 n the construction programme mapped out by the old Board. On our part, we feel that the elections

must lead to an immense amount of good, even although they have, as has been pointed out, brought only a little "now blood” into the body controlling harbor matters. Me are

quite sure, for instance, that much keener attention will be given to the question as to the method of construction to he pursued in connection with the proposed harbor and as to whether it shall ho allowed to proceed before the Board and the ratepayers succeed in learning whether or not it can he built for approximately the amount set down for the purpose. It may be recalled that the new engineer did not seem to relish the idea that he should produce plans and specifications for the whole of the new harbor before a start was made with the work and that, by

moans of what tiio ratepayers musthave regarded as a most illogical report, he induced the old Board to agree that portion of the work might he done under the wretched system of day labor, although the Board hold out that if any portion of the work could ho done hy contract the system of letting contracts should not be overlooked. On the occasion when l lie matter was discussed. Messrs Tombleson and Holden and Dr. Collins made no secret of the fact that they did not agree that- the day labor system should he entertained at all. Strange as it may appear, they did not receive the support that should have been given them by certain other members, who, surely, must know that it has proved a foolish move to depart from Urn contract system everywhere that a big work has been put in hand in this Dominion. If some others who have places on the Board new act up to their pledges it would seem that those members will now be reinforced bv Messrs. Williams, Quirk, Holdsworth, and Dymock. Should the position prove to he as we have indicated all that would be necessary in order to make certain that the day-labor system would lie .ruled out would be for another member to add his protest against its adoption. The possibilities arc, .therefore, most interesting and we feel that the great bulk of the harbor ratepayers will be relieved to know that there is a strong probability that the wasteful day labor system will -not be given a further trial at the expense of this district.