HARBOUR BOARD AND PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IX, Issue 2520, 22 February 1872, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD AND PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE.

We cannot permit the letter of the Superintendent, addressed to the chairman of the Harbour Board, which appeared in yesterday's paper, to pass without a word of comment. So far as the letter refers to the action of the Provincial Council, it is a tissue of misstatements from beginning to end. The letter, however, leaves the impression that the Chairman of the Harbour Board has had confidential intercourse with the Provincial Executive, of which neither the Board nor the public have any knowledge. It is for the Chairman to say how far the letter fairly represents what took place, and whether he compromised the Board to the extent indicated, or to any extent. We have no certain meaus of knowing the truth of the matter ; but judging of the worth of the allusion to an understanding with the Chairman of the Harbour Board, by what we know of the facts alluded to in other parts of the letter, wo should say that little attention should be paid to it. However, there is seldom smoke without fire, however little; and there must have been some verbal understanding between the Chairman of the Board and the Superintendent, for it is hardly credible that even the Provincial Executive should be wholly given over to imaginings. And it is in regard of the possible truth of this that we desire to say a word, and we do so in tho interests of the public. We say that any matter' relating to the public business of the Harbour Board, or any other public board or institution, should be so conducted that a true record shall be preserved, as well for future guidance as to prevent mistakes, and remove any cause for suspicion. If a different system has been adopted by the Harbour Trustees, then the sooner it is changed the better. The constitution of the Board is also essentially faulty. We have no objection to the members individually, but we maintain that the Board should be an elective body. There might possibly be a bad Board elected; but the interests at stake are so great that that would hardly be probable. By the existing arrangement, however, the Provincial Executive have far too great a control; and when we find gentlemen on the Board, who hold seats, not by virtue of the votes of tho harbour constituency, proposing to pay £5,u00 of the harbour funds—trust funds—to supplement tho provincial revenue, for no other reason than that harsher terms may be imposed by the Provincial Council, we say that we are justified in demanding a re-construction of tho Board. This dispute between the Provincial Executive and Harbour Board is of greater significance than some persons appear to consider. Already it has had the effect of throwing away a chance of doing something in the way of works worthy of such a fine harbour; but the public of Auckland, long-suffering though they are to a proverb, will not much longer tolerate it.