HARBOUR CONTROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21640, 4 November 1933, Page 13

HARBOUR CONTROL

WISHES OF BOARDS

EFFECT GIVEN TO REMITS

MAIN PURPOSE OF BILL

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

[BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday The main purpose of the Harboursi Amendment Bill, which was read aj second time pro forma in the House ofl Representatives this afternoon and i'erred to the Lands Committee, is t<v give legislative effect to remits passed at the last conference of the Harbours i Association and approved by the Gov-J eminent. The bill also makes a few, other amendments to the principal Acn to bring it into .uniformity with corresj ponding provisions in other local bod.vj -j legislation and to meet departmental] requirements. The provisions of the Harbours Acti in respect to disqualification for meni-< bership of a harbour board are amended so that they fall into line with legislan tion governing other local bodies. TJnderi the existing legislation, a person is dis-j qualified from membership who is interested in any contract made by the board if the payment is more than £25 in the case of a single contract, or £SQ altogether in any financial year. Reduction ol Limits A new clause reduces these limits tai £lO and £25, although the Audit Office is empowered, under special circuiiH stances, to raise the limit to £SO. Inn , terest in any newspaper in which a; board inserts advertisements is not toj constitute disqualification under this clausa. Harbour boards are empowered by] the bill to enter into contracts withj any of their officers for a maximum, term of three years, with power to» renew the contracts for a similar maxi-J mum period. Provision ifi made foil three months' notice to be given of ter-j mination of office. Boards are givSn, power to insure the fidelity of their! officers by taking out guarantee and paying premiums on these from a< special fund. Additional protection is given in the collection of harbour dues on. goods carried in vessels trading withinj harbour limits. Provision is made for the payment of the dues by the master] or owner of the vessel in cases where they cannot be collected from the proper person, who will then be liablef for reimbursing the master or owner. Payments of Dues Charges for the use of a board's tug or for labour or material of any descrip-< tion supplied by the board are to be excluded from the definition of dues., Government departments are mad€| liable to pay these charges to the same extent as if they were private persons.; An interesting clause of the bill re-J moves the exemption from the payment of harbour dues which has been granted to whaling A'essels. Since this industry; j has become highly commercialised and, is highly profitable, it is considered: that there is no good ground for con-J tinuing the exemption. The principal Act exempts from < pay-* ment of all dues vessels employed inj fishing, sealing or oyster dredging. An. amendment is provided, under which the exemption of these vessels is restricted. They are now to be exempted, from all harbour dues except for berthage, storage, dock, slip or other, accommodation actually provided and for services rendered by the officers ofl the board, and for pilotage rates. The principal Act authorises the ment of expenses actually incurred br members in travelling to or from board meetings or on board business. Sine® boards have had difficulty in assessing these expenses, it is now provided, th aij they may make to their members travels ling allowances not exceeding a rata to be prescribed by the Governor-GenJ eral-in-Council. Cost of Collecting Bates Where a board collects its own rates itj is to be empowered to charge the cost' of collection against the rates, that is, : . against the general account. Sinking fund commissioners of harbour boards are given under the bill similar powers of incorporation as are granted to municipalities under the Local Bodies Loans Act, 1926. Sinking fund commissioners of harbour are to be made a body corporate with succession and common seal, and this) will save boards unnecessary expense! for the purpose of executing documents and holding securities. The office ofl siuking fund commissioner is made per-* petual and not personal. The maximum amount under which boards may enter into contracts without submitting them to public tender is increased from £SO to £250.

Power is given to boards to sell small or narrow areas of tidal mudflat onj condition of their reclamation. Anyi reclaimed land which is within the de-J fined boundaries of a wharf is exempted from any local authority control than that of the harbour board. The maximum period for the lease of wharves, buildings, etc., is extended from seven to 14 years, the same period as that for which foreshore licences are granted. Boards are to be permitted t<j lease wharves, buildings, etc., for any period not exceeding one year without calling public tenders. The vesting or reclamations of not more than five acres is to be authorised by Order-in-! Council. Confusion by Land Signs On account of the inconvenience and; confusion which has arisen in some harbours through the exhibition of illuminated signs on land which may ha mistaken for lighted harbour beacons and wharf lights, powers are conferred on harbour boards to serve notices on offenders, who, if they do not comply with the directions given, may be liable to fines not exceeding £IOO. The principal Act gives harbour! boards power to deal with cases where 1 vessels are sunk, stranded or abandoned in any harbour or tidal water or on the seashore "in such a way as to tend to the injury of navigation." Since the inclusion of this condition has hindered! authorities from ordering the removal! of obstructions, it is revoked in the brll.j Harbour boards are empowered t-oj make by-laws in the following direc-j t.ions: —(1) For the exemption of ves- j sels laid up from the payment of porfcj charges; (2) for the sealing of garbage, chutes on vessels in harbour in the interest of public health and navigation: I (3) for seaplanes using harbours; (4), for controlling the speed, use and management of motor-launches and out-i board speedboats (this will includo power to enforce the installation of silencers on boats); (5) for conditions under which tugs shall be used. An important clause gives harbour boards power to restrict the deposit cf ballast and rubbish. The existing legislation only prevents the discharge or deposit of rubbish into harbours in cases where discharge or deposit is to the injury of navigation. It is stateci that the discharge of rubbish has injured harbours and beaches without injuring navigation, and this condition on its"discharge is, therefore, eliminated in the new bill. To give boards better control of harbours, boards are also empowered to prosecute with a view to presenting refuse, filrliy and insanitary matter, polluted waters, etc., being discharged into harbour or into approaches to any harbour, or into any pipes dischargina: into harbours.