AMALGAMTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 262, 5 November 1912, Page 6

AMALGAMTION.

HARBOR AND RIVER BOARDS

A CONFERENCE ARRANGED.

The results/of- the .polls N recently taken on the proposal-to amalgamate the Lower Wairau and Spring: Creek River Boards and the Wairau Harbor Board were formally reported to the last mentioned body at the meeting held last -night.The following communication to the Secretary of the Harbor Board from ■the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, Minister for Customs and. Marine, dated October 23rd, was read:— "I am in -receipt of your letter of the 18th instant forwarding me the result of the poll on the question of the amalgamation of the local bodies. My advice to th© various Boards was purely in their own interests. Seeing that they have not acted upon my suggestion there is only one thing to be done, and that is to await the Local Government Bill. I have received a telegram from Mr Macey, Chairman of the Board, and Mr McCallum, M.P., has seen me with reference to giving your Board a grant of aiioOO on the Supplementary Estijnates. In reply I can only say that my proposal to the deputations from your Board which waited upon me liere—no amalgamation, no money— still holds good. I regret that lam compelled to hold to this principle, but I do not see my way to recommend the. Government to make a grant on a work which in a short time might be completely swept away and the money entirely wasted. The Government desires to help the whole district and not any particular portion of it. I should be glad if you 'would kindly -convey my thanks to the members of your Board and others who assisted in endeavoring to bring about the amalgamation." The Chairman (Mr W. H. Macey) reported that, subsequently to the receipt of the above letter, a deputation proceeded to Wellington. The Minister's private secretary forwarded the following report of the interview:—

"A deputation, consisting of Mr McCallum ; M.P., Mr Corry (Mayor of Blenheim), 'MrvMacey (Chairman of the Wairau Harbor; Board), and Mr Griffiths waited upoii the Hon. Mr Fisher, Minister for Marine, on the 30th October, 1912, in further refer'(s ence to the request of the Wairau Harbor Board for a grant of £1500 to enable them to carry out certain ' work. .I'-'.- ! "Mr MeCallum introduced the deputation, x } "Mr Corry explained that their object in coming to Wellington on this occasion was in order to get a grant; of £1500 placed upon the Estimates for the Wairau Harbor Board. He out. that it was absolutely necessaiy to d» something now as the matter was of vital importance to the district. He said that previous Mm- j isters for Marine had asked the Har- ( bor Board to do something. , They j had now donej something, and just by | a narrow margin they had missed get- = ting the sum placed on last year's Estimates. The summer was coming, and the river was silting up. They . liad £2000 rusting, and the next thing ' that would happen would be floods t through the town of Blenheim ripping ' up the streets. He referred to the amalgamation question which had recently been settled by a poll of rate- j payers, the result being that the . amalgamation was not carried. He • thought it very unfair that the four j thousand people had to suffer j through a small minority of Spring I Creek people who were against the amalgamation. He said the urgent necessity for the work would appeal to the Minister greater than any words j that could be spoken by the members j ■of the deputation. The snow was on the hills and the flood was sure to oome. The matter wa ; j one of absolute urgency, and that was why they were in Wellington. "Mr Griffiths said he did not see why the whole of the people should suffer because.of the narrow-minded-ness of the Spring Creek people. The old Governriierit'„ had absolutely pro-" mised to give the Board a grant, and the promise made was left for Mr Fisher to carry, out. He referred tq the letter sent by the Minister to the; Secretary ofj the Wairau Harbor} Board stating^hat it was the Govern-; nient's intention to benefit the dis-' trict as a whole. He said that by granting the £1500 asked for it would be for the benefit of the district, and they were unable to do the work without this assistance.

"Mr Fisher asked what the work would cost.

"The deputation replied that it would cost about £4000.

"Mr Griffiths, continuing, again referred to the letter Mr Fisher had sent to the Secretary of the Wairau Harbor Board, in whjpH/it was stated that the Government could not see its way to make a graint on a work which might be swept away §,t;;/anj, time. He said that the Marine ~ Engineer (Mr Holmes) had stated that the work would be permanent. ■ :- "Mr McCallum asked if there was aay chance of' getting a contribution fiom the Spring Creek River Board. "Mr Macey was of opinion that the Wairau Harbor Board might get a little assistance from them.

"Mr Fisher said he would like to J see something done before any assistance was given. He asked whether the Lower Wairau - River Board and the Wairau- Harbor Board would j agree to amalgamate. The deputa- i tion said that they were agreeable. j "Mr Fisher asked if they were • agreeable to enlarge the rating area, \ and the deputation replied in the : affirmative. j

"Mr Fisher: When do you want the : money? ! "Mr Griffiths: In six time. =

"Mr Macey said he thought it would take longer than that to get the work started.

"Mr Corry: We want tho amount put on the Estimates.

''Mr Fisher: You cannot get it on this year. :

"Mr Corry: Can you give us a promise?

' "Mr Fisher: I promise the money if you will promise to amalgamate., with iho Lower Wairau River Board and promote a Bill amalgamating these two bodies, altering your rating areas, and calling the new body 'the Wairau River Trust.' If you can fihow any results, then you can ask that the Spring Creek River Board be included in the rating area. When you join them up and they have a definite object in view and a united interest, the pressure you will ultimately bring to bear on the Spring Creek River Board may bring them in.

"Mr Griffiths asked if.they, con Id proceed with the work.

"Mr Fisher: You can go on with the work once you have agreed on amalgamation, but you ennnofr have the money this year. Suorws'ng the Spring Creek River Board doss not

come in next year, the new body will probably prove itself a success in the first twelve months, and that will have considerable influence upon the Spring Creek people. The position lam in is' that I want to see something progressive for the district; all you nave done is that you have taken a poll. I admit you could not doany more. What I" want .you'to do is to get together in the interest of the Province.

• ivir Corry: We have a promise from previous Ministers that after we 1 did something we would get some assistance. We have now collected £2000, and we expect to get some help from the Government. "Mr Griffiths: If we follow your suggestion will you promise us the money next year? : "Mr Fisher: You might get the Harbor Board and the River Boards

to amalgamate, promote a Bill to join them up and include Spring Creek to give them a chance of being heard. The Government might then send over a man who will be in a position to say whether Spring Creek should be included or not. Let Spring Creek come before an independent tribunal to say whether they will come in or not. The River Trust will control harbor works and river protection.

Supposing you want money to complete a new wharf, you will "have to go to the ratepayers. You can spend money on anything that would be in the interests of the people, and you can ask for this power in the Bill. "Mr Griffiths: If we arrange to amalgamate on the lines you suggest you will promise us the £1500 next year, and the fact of our going on with the work will not affect the grant? _ ■ "Mr Fisher agreed to this proposal." In the course of a ' brief discussion, ,the Chairman explained that, in the event of the two bodies agreeing to amalgamation, a Government Commissioner would probably be appointed to arrange the boundaries and the rating system. Members remarked that the report of the interview went to show the disinterestedness of the Harbor Board so far as the amalgamation campaign was concerned. As a matter of fact, this Board, as a Harbor Board, was not at all anxious to lose its identity. A wrong idea existed that the Board promoted the movement." It merely put the question before the people at the request of the Minister. It was resolved ,that the Loweir Wairau River Board be invited to confer with this Board, and that the Chairman wait on the River. Board at its next meeting to arrange the details of the conference.

On the motion of Mr Patchett, a vote of thanks was accorded to the members of the deputation.