THE MANUKAU HARBOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13501, 27 July 1907, Page 5

THE MANUKAU HARBOUR.

DEPUTATION TO MR. MILLAR. [BY telegraph.— CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. The, Minister for Marine was waited upon this morning by Mr. J. Rowe (Mayor of Onehunga) and Mr. Lang, M.H.R. in respect to the proposal to constitute a Harbour Board at Onehunga for the purpose of taking over the control of the Manukau Harbur. The permission of the Government is necessary before the Bill dealing with the subject can be allowed to proceed. The Hon. Mr. Millar said that he was awaiting certain information regarding the value of the endowments, but that he would give a reply as soon as possible as to whether the necessary consent could bo given. . Mr. Millar, in his reply, will state whe--ther the Government will take up the Bill or give its consent to Mr. Lang introducing it, such consent being necessary in the case of a measure dealing with revenues of the Crown. He stated that in any case he would not give the Board any subsidy. Mr. Lang referred to the subsidies given to Gisborne and Motueka Boards. Mr. Millar said they were given before, his time, and that he was not going to give any such subsidies to any harbour boards. The Minister for Lands was interviewed this morning by Mr. John Bollard, M.H.R., and Mr. C. Bagley (chairman of the Mount Roskill Road Board) in regard to a harbour reserve of 336 acres of Crown, lands in the Mount Roskill district, which had, up till the present, remained unutilised. It was stated that the Mount Roskill Road Board made no claim to this land, and it was asked that the Government should pass a Bill providing for the cutting up and leasing of the lands, the revenue to be given to the proposed Manukan Harbour Board, or, in the event of this Board not being set up, that it should be retained by the Marine Department for the future benefit of the harbour. Mr. McNab stated that a Bill to this effect had been prepared last year, but that owing to want of time it was not brought forward. He would, however, introduce it this session. It was mentioned that the Mount Roskill Road Board proposed to borrow about £1000 to form and metal the Ridge Road leading to this reserve, arid the desire was expressed that the Government would form the necessary streets through the reserve. It was hoped that the road to be made by the Board would be continued by the Avondale Koad Board and Waitemata County Council through to the Manukau Heads, adjoining the Titirangi Road.