HARBOUR BOARDS' ASSOCIATION,

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 21 September 1909, Page 3

HARBOUR BO ARDS' ASSOCIATION,

1 ANNUIAIi CONFERENCE. (TJottbd Phess Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The annual conference of the Harbour Boards' Association c/ened this morning. Mr Wilford,' M.P., Chairman of the Wellington Board, presided, lie said that 1 important matters •would come before the delegates, including- the Harbour Boards Bill to be introduced in Parliament by the'Minister of j Marino. . • . J The .Executive Committee's report stated. Ithat the. number of affiliated Boards was -now Zi. -The financial statement showed a credit balance of £78. The passage of the Harbours Acts Consolidation Act had effected one of the objects- the Association had been formed ,to promote. ■In the opinion of the Executive the clause in the superannuation scheme providing that united' funds shall be supported by .a joint and several " guarantee by. t each of "the authorities' in' the ' combination ' ibara the way of action to establish a fund, and it was. recommended -that " an amendment be obtained. The Executive also recommends the Conference to obtain an amendment to the 'proposal regarding the payment of pensions to old- employees as a temporary expedient' until the Act became operative.. ffhe Conference decided to draw the attention of. the Government to the anomalous position in which the Chathanjs and other outlying islands in that 'latitude stand in relation to 'pilotage charges as defined in the Act, and requesting, that, those islands Jbe brought /within the exemption clause. The question of the constitution, of Harbour Boards was discussed. ■ At the .outset of the discussion, Mr W. J. Napier (Auckland) moved ■ that the Conference take into consideration' the question of the constitution of the Boards, and later on he asked to hswa added'to the motion a recommendation ■that the Auckland Board consist of IS ■members, two to be elected by the Government, and the rest by the ratepayers. Mr Moore (Kaiapoi). moved an amendment that the matter be discussed six months hence. ■ Some delegates urged that the Conference had no right to dictate to people as to the constitution of the Boards, and others held that the Government had a right to know the Conference's •opinion. The. amendment, which was seconded by Mr Frostick (Christchurch), was defeated . ■ ' '■■■■ A motion by Mr Napier that members of Harbour Boards be elected by the electors of local bodies with the ' represantation of the Government on such Boardß by nomination was discussed at considerable length. • '"i-Mr Mitchelson (Auckland), in seiconding the motion, said he would like to see tha Government nominees- done 'away with, but he did not think' that that could bs achieved just now. • ' Mr Milligan (Oamaru) moved an amendment to strike out. the words after "bodies," thus doing away with Go.vernment representation. . ■ Mr Jull (Waipawa), in seconding these amendment, declared that the Government had no more ritjht to be represented on Harbour Boards than on Borough or County Councils. ■ The amendment to exclude Government- nomination was carried by 17 to ii.:- ' . • •■ ■ 7> -The amended motion that members of Harbour Boards be elected by the electors of "local bodies was carried. ■