HARBOUR HOARD CHARGES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13725, 15 April 1908, Page 8

HARBOUR HOARD CHARGES.

A STATEMENT DENIED. The letter from Mr. P. Virtue, .which appeared in our issue of the 6th hist., criticising the Auckland Harbour Board's methods, created a discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Board. The Chairman (the Hon. E. Mitclielson) said he would like to know who was Mr. Virtue's " best authority that it was being worked quietly to revive the vexatious question of the Board receiving all cargo at a cost of Is or Is 6d per ton." The matter, said Mr. Mitclielson, had not been before the Board at all, though it had been discussed by members privately, and he took very strong exception to Mr. Virtue's statements. The chairman then quoted from the letter as follows: —" I trust I am not correct in saying that the proposed receiving charge is to raise revenue to cover up some serious oversight when working out the cost and expenses of the £1,000,000 loan." It was quite wrong, continued the chairman, for any person to have made such a statement without having received information to that effect, The figures had been carefully considered, and it "was found that it <vas not necessary to make this charge. Mr. W. J. Napier said he quite agreed with the chairman. That there had been any serious miscalculation was a product of Mr. Virtue's imagination. At the only time that the receiving and delivery, of cargo had been discussed, it was distinctly stated that the Board was in a position to take it over without charging one penny for the work, at the existing rates of wharfage, and paying the cost of the labour themselves.

Mr. J. B. Macfarlane said that the Board could not do the work without extra charge. ' After a, few further remarks the matter dropped.