NELSON HARBOUR BOARD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 6 May 1914, Page 2

NELSON HARBOUR BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING

The following is the concluding portion of the business transacted at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Harbour Board after we went to press : THE RECENT POLL.

The chairman, after reading the official declaration of the loan proposal, regretted that the result had not been different. The thanks of the Board and the district at large -were due to the press for the space they had devoted to the proposal. Thanks were also due to those who had assisted at the poll. Perhaps the Mayoral contest had an effect on the proposal, as many of those on the loan proposal committee were engaged in that contest, and thus left the -work to a few. Several questions had been received as to whether the poll could be upset Vjii the three-fifths majority point .but legal advice was against this course. Another matter that arose was that of -wives of ratepayers at Richmond were not allowed to."'vote, as they were entitled to. He had received advice from the. Board's solicitors on this point, to the effect that the poll could not be set aside, although the names of persons entitled, to be placed on the roll were accidentally omitteck

Mr Bell thought some responsibility rested on veturning"~ofßcers in notifying when the roll eloped and where the names could be placed on. The chairman said it- (rested with the individuals •concerned, to see that their ,names were -on the roll. He /went on to sav that a third point -which cropped, up was -whether a scrutiny was necessary : but legal advice was that this was not necessary. Mr Duncan said he may have!) misled some people by,stating."that another;'poll on the proposal could not be submitted again for three years. He had since- discovered, however, that this applied only to polls under the Eating Act on unimproved value*. On submitting the question later to the Board's solicitor, he was informed that there was no time limit as to when another poll could be taken. This was a matter for consideration, and >he intended to give notice of motion at-the next meeting of the Board to the effect that the ioan proposal be again submitted. to' the ratepayers. Mr Bell said that if ratepayers had realised that the agreement between the Freezing Company' and the 'shipping companies to "bring ocean-going liners into the harbour had ceased- to he believed the poll would, have been carried.,

' Mr' Macinahon suggested that perhaps it would" be better to wait before again submitting the matter to the ratepayers until the Board was prepared to also put. the proposal to purchase the iwharves.

In answer to Mr AUport, the chairman was of opinion that the proposals would have to be put separately.

HARBOURMASTER'S REPORT

The Harbourmaster (Captain Collins) reported as follows :—The trade of the port for the neriod ending 30th Apr:l has been slightlv less than the cones-. ponding .month of last year. During | the month 154 vessels entered, and left, the port. made up as follows:—2s! Union Co.'s steamers, 98 small steamers, 30 sailing vessels,' and one Government steamer, having a total of 27,120 tons register. The Harbour Board's dredge (John Graham) was delivered at the Moutere Lagoon on April 21 in good order and condition, having teen towed across ,bv the s.s. Koi. I accompanied the dredge to Motueka for the purpose of giving any assistance that may have been required on the passage over, and after having placed the dredge in a. safo position off the new. wharf in the lagoon. I returned to Nelson the same evening. I am pleased to be able to report that although there was a s.vere strain upon the hull of the d,redge while being towed, she never made or leaked a pint of water the wholn day. All routine duties have been regularly attended* to. The report was adopted.

ORDINARY BUSINESS. It was resolved to appoint the secretary as treasurer to the Board. Mr Allnort spoke of work done bythe chairman and other members ot the Board in K oing round the country putting the loan proposal before tl:e rat - payors, and he moved that ttieir service" be recorded on the minutes. Swowdedl by 'Captain Macnab and carried. . , The chairman acknowledged the vote, after which the Board rope.