NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY With which is incorporated the NORTHERN MAIL DAILY. MOD AY, AUGUST 11, 1919. A MISUNDERSTANDING.

Northern Advocate, 11 August 1919, Page 2

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY With which is incorporated the NORTHERN MAIL DAILY.

MOD AY, AUGUST 11, 1919. A MISUNDERSTANDING.

Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper.

With ''reference to the remarks made by Cγ. Jones iat the meeting of the Whangarei County Council on Friday last regarding the Harbour Conference some explanation is necessary to prevent any growth of misunderstanding. We are in a position to say definitely that the chairman had no desire whatever to block discussion upon any particular branch, of rthe question. The main object of the meeting was to condemn the action in preparing a Bill for presensation to Parliament empowering the board to borrow money to improve the iharbour. It was quite competent for the meeting to ask "What is to be done with the money?" The answer is to be found in the board's policy fixed by resolution, viz., to improve the depth of the channel from the bridge to tflie town wharf and reclaim certain areas. That is the board's improvement scheme as it stands now and what it wamte money for. The otiher recojnimendatdon.s made by Mr Blair Mason are only a guide for a future course. The board has made no fixed policy with regard to ifiem and to discuss works which a future board would have to approve and control would be only waste of time. -When the upper channel is improved and the mud flats reclaimed the board will be in a position to come to the people again and say "this is our policy on the second stage Do you approve?" The people will then be able to discuss tihat phase in all its details and g-ive or withhold ttheir sanction. Without the Bill no section of the work of improvement could be carried out, therefore it i» not difficult to understand that the discussion of the Bill was the main business <of the meeting. Having approved of the Bill and the board's policy it was quite competent for the meeting to deal with other phases of development and reference to tie freezing works would foave been welcomed. The meeting, however, 'Stampeded before the chairman realised what was taking place. Any suggestion of using the gag is absurd. \