HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3258, 15 October 1897, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

A special meeting of the Harbour Hoard was held yesterday. Present—Messrs F. H. Fraser (chairuUiu). I. .luck, AV. U6oth, H. Beauchamp, F. Bradey, J. H. Heaton, J. Hutohesoh, M.H.8., Captain Ko-o and the Mayor. The business for consideration was tho Bill proposed to be introduced into Parliament relative to tbe exchange of endowments between the City Council and the .Pehni. Hie terras ot which have already been published in 1 he Times. Mr Bradey proposed tho adoption of tho Bill. Mr Booth said that the exchange was quite a new thing, and he was not quite prepared to say anything about it at the last meeting. Since then ho had examined the plans and considered the scheme which had been agreed upon by tho City Council and the committee of the Board. He took exception to tho Bill as a whole, thinking that there should bo a separation, tbe part referring to tho borrowing of money for a dock to be embodied in another Act. He thought the two subjects mentioned should lie doa-t with separately and not in one Bill. The Mayor said they were ho t discussing the principle of the project, but the details. The principle hod already been agreed to. , Mr Booth moved, That the Board approve of the proposed exchange of endowments between the City Corporation and tho Harbour Board, and of tho Bill which is to authorise the exchange, with the exception ot clause 14, the object of which should bo sought by a separate Bill,, as authorised liy a recent resolution of tho Council.

The Mayor asked what about clauses 10 and II?

Mr Beauchamp said that if tho clauses mentioned were excised the Bill would have to bo remodelled entirely. Mr Hutcheson said the resolution proposed to introduce what the legislative Committee of tho Board intended iiot to

do-,. . . The Chairman ruled the motion out of order. Mr Beauchamp said that one argument against tho proposed dock was that unless they commenced the construction of the dock prior to 1902 they would lose the right. He moved that clause 5 be excised from tho Bill, the reason being that the clause had been introduced without the authority of the Legislative Committee ot the Board which had been setup to formulate the Bill. When the Board was in a position to do so it should proceed to build a dock.

The Mayor rose to a point of order, contending that the matter of building a dock had already been settled $ (hey oolild ndt then discuss the principle of the thing. Continuing, Mr Beauchamp said he cordially approved of tho proposed transfer of the land from the Harbour Board (the

Board securing the water frontage which they ought to Have), and to settle for all time the question of a site for a dock, but that need not be considered until the proper time arrived. Undue haste in connection. with the matter was undesirable. During tho progress of the debate reference was made to tho previous resolutions passed respecting tho dock proposals, which were carried upon the casting vote of the chairman. The members who raised

this point criticised the chairman's action, as it altered the status gwo, and was in their opinion contrary to precedent in regard to dealing with matters involving an alteration in tho policy of the Board as a public body. 7 Mr Heaton said that Messrs Bell and Fraser were members of both bodies, the City Council and Harbour Board. The Bill was a very ingenious one, and contained a great deal more than the Board sanctioned the committee to do. i The Mayor said that so far as he knew the Bill was in tho same state as it was a month ago, with a few: minor alterations. Personally he was net a member of the Legislative Committee* Captain Bose protested against the whole proposal., He was surprised that any proposition of the kind had boon made. If they wanted to acquire a site for a dock they should pay for it in -cash. He disapproved of the exchange of:sites. .As a matter of fact, tho action proposed to be decided upon by the Board was earned upon the casting vote of tho chairman. Mr Heaton, in the course of some remarks, again alluded to the fact that Messrs Fraser and 801 l were on both public bodies. • The Mayor: By Act of Parliament lam a member of the Harbour Board. ; lam not, however, on tho Legislative Committee as you suppose. Mr Fraser: I was not a member of the City Council Committee, I have not been acting in a double capacity. Mr Heaton said that many years ago ho Was in favour of a dock. There were then no dockslin New Zealand wor th speaking of, but latterly there had been so many docks oonstructedand losses sustained that it would not bo right to proceed with the work; It was all very fine to say that such and such a sum would be ample ; in a few years it would likely be-found that a similar sum to the amount voted would be required for extensions. Going into details Mr Heaton wanted to know 1 what the Harbour Board had to do with making roads on tho proposed reclaimed laud? That was not its work. As a matter of fact it should stick to its present endowments, which. wore ront - producing. The proposed stone ' wall' was another thing that required ..consideration. It was no use spending iJK),OOO or X 12,000 on this work. Another, thing ho might mention ; the Admiralty, did not approve of a dock in Wellington, for the simple reason that there were plenty in New Zealand already, and it was not wanted. In tho course of a veiy forcible speech, Mr Hutcheson alluded to the apathy manifested by the members of tho Board in matters relating to measures of a progressive character. It was desirable that the Board should authorise the Bill laid on the table and that it should; bo passed, Mr Heaton's objection, he ; 'said;*- was apparently founded upon the expense of’ the project. But Mr Heaton r waa always against expenditure of any sort. ' If he (Mr Hutcheson) 'had the honour of piloting this Bill " through Parliament he would do his best to get it carried, and he was sure of success. (Hear, hear.) - - . - - . •Speaking to the motion, Mr Booth regretted that Captain Eosev was' totally opposed to the scheme. Personally, he approved of the exchange, but that only. A* separate-Bill relating to the borrowing of .£250,000 for the construction of a dopk could bo introduced laten Mr Hutcheson, wanted to know why two Bills should be introduced ? '

Mr Booth said there would be a better chance of the exchange proposal, being passed by that means. The amendment was then,put and .lost, and the Bill as drafted was approved., The members who voted for the proposal already outlined were Messrs Bell, Jack, Hutcheson, Bradey and Fraser. .

Those who voted against it were : Messrs Heaton, Beauchamp, Booth and Captain Rose. ...

The joint report of the Council and Harbour Board committees relative to tho matter was then adopted. . ,

: The committee in reference to reclamation (Waterloo quay south) reported that it had been in negotiation with the Government with regard to the proposed reclamation and Customhouse, .site, but bad been unable, as yet, to arrange euch terms as would warrant the committee in preparing a Bill for the acceptance of the Board.

It was decided to continue negotiations, the secretary to communicate with the Marine Department. The proposed reclamation is horn Brandon street ifrom the watermen's shelter shed to the wool shed, and will be 100 ft wide. . Provision Is to bo made for anew Customhouse. Id • committee the Hoard considered tho question of Somes Island light,- and, after discussion, it was * decided to ask the Government to. at once strengthen the light.