HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9116, 15 May 1891, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

A meeting of the Harbour Board was held^ yesterday afternoon, and was attended by Messrs H. Gourley (chairman), A. Thomson, G. M. Barr, M. Joel, *W. Dawson, M.H.R., J. T. Maokerras, W. Wright, E. G. Allen, E. B. Cargill, General Fulton, and the mayor (Mr J. Carroll). MNANCIAL. The bank book, laid on the table, showed a credit balance of £6570. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence for one month was granted to Captain Veal. WOEKS AT THE HEADS.

Me Babb though; that was the proper time for him to draw attention to the letter book. At laßt meeting, when the report of the Works Committee came up, he asked particularly whether the adoption of the report meant the passing of ;tho drawings with reference to the works at the Heads. It was distinctly stated that that was not the case; and it was also distinctly said that an opportunity would be given of discussing the drawings. They might judge of his surprise, therefore, whou, on opening the letter book, he found that the secretary had, without the authority of the board, forwarded to the Government the drawings. He held that that was not the proper way to conduct the business of the board. A resolution had never been passed by the board that these drawings should be forwarded to the Government. The Seoretary said that so far as he was concerned, he simply submitted the matter to the chairman, from whom he received instructions to forward the drawings. The Chaieman said that the inspector of works (Mr Stephens) had given as a reason for his anxiety to submit these drawings to the engineer that Mr O'Connor was going away. Mr Babb : Bat some one else will be appointed, I suppose. The Chairman said that Mr O'Connor was conversant with the works at the heads, and Mr Stephens thought it was advisable to submit the drawings to him as ho (Mr O'Connor) knew so much about them. In view of the explanation that was given, the speaker thought be was perfectly justified in forwarding the drawings for the opinion of the Government. The report was adopted; was it not ? Mr Baer said the report was adopted, but it was distinctly understood at the time that the adoption of the report did not mean the passing of the drawings. It was an important matter which, he submitted, ought not to be smuggled through. It was very well to say that Mr O'Connor was conversant with the works, but he thought that the fact of Mr O'Connor's going away was a very good reason for delay, as they would then get the opinion of the new engineer, whoever he might be. They had practically got Mr O'Connor's opinion already. Mr Allen was certainly under the impression that nothing was to have been done until there should be an opportunity of disoussing the drawings at the subsequent meeting. The Chairman pointed out that the matter mast come before the board for final acceptance He disclaimed any intention of over-riding the wishes of member?. Mr Carboll: I suppose yon thought you were anticipating the wishes of the board ? The Chairman: Yes. Mr Babb: I wish members of the board would express their opinion against this' sort of thing. Mr Allen distinctly remembered that the understanding was that the report would be discussed at to-day's meeting. Mr Weight did not see any harm in the chairman's action. Mr Babb: Supposing the Government approved of that report, and we see subsequently reasons why the work should not be carried out —and I have good reasons to put before the board—the Government could not consistently approve of any other scheme. Mr Wright: There is nothing binding in submitting the report to the engineer. The Chairman expressed himself to a similar effect. Mr Cabboll : Moreover, there is no expense incurred by the chairman's action. Mr Babb simply wished to express his dissatisfaction with the matter being hurried through before the board had a chance of discussing it. General Fulton said he fully expected that when he came to the meeting that afternoon the snbject of the inspector's report would be discussed. At the same time, he gave the chairman credit for acting with the best intentions

Mr Babe: Ob, yes; I only mentioned the thing—l did not intend to make any remarks.— (Laughter.) The matter then dropped. POET CHiEOES.

Captain Boyd, local manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, wrote, stating that he was not aware of any cases where payment of port charges had been refused on the company's own steamers npon entering. Mail steamers, making this the-first port of arrival, were exempt under .contract with the Government. Thaflncapauy had decided to make the Elderslie .^6'test case. —The letter was received. COBEESPONDENCE.

The Harbourmaster reported that the steamer Brunner carried away the red elbow buoy in the lower harbour on the night of the Bth inst. The moorings had been recovered, but the buoy must either hare sunk or been carried oat to sea. The cost of the buoy would be from £20 to £25. On the night of the 13th the steamer Rotomabana grounded in the channel, and attached a rope to the lower red beacon at Burkes to heave her off, and hauled over the beacon, which bad just been repaired. The beacons were put up for guides and were not intended for, nor were strong enough for, the purpose for which it was used. —Received. Tbe general manager of the Colonial Bank forwarded the following extract received from the bank's managing director:— I am pleased to be able to advise that the article In the Financial Times has not led to a single inquiry at this office, or comment in any quarter, so far as I am aware. On the other hand, Mr Westgarth and other brokers have expressed their satisfaction to me at receipt of the accounts, and at the financial position of the board which they disclose. They only further expressed the hope that the Recounts wou'd for the future come forward regularly, and aa soon after each year's balance as possible. Received. Mr K. Rwnsay forwarded cheque for £912s 6d, being the Invercargill's portion of cost of repairs to the Kaik jetty.—Received. PETITION FBOM WHABF LABOtJBEBS. The following petition, with 50 signatures, waa read and referred to the Works Committee:-

We, the undersigned wharf labourers, respectfully approach you with the. view of eolicltiog your Mod assistance in the fallowing matter.-—Owing to the nature of our employment we lire compelled to pass many hours daily on the wharves awaiting the arrival of steam and other ships. We have no shelter, and are consequently exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather. We therefore earnestly ask for tbe uae of one of the divisions of the O shed in which we might be allowed to place a stove, Beats, and tables; or, if thin request is incompatible with the publio •exvice, we would ask for the use of n small piece of the reclaimed ground, say, between Mr Sparrow's and P shed, on which we could erect a shed with the game accommodation as before named. wobks committee's eepobt.

The Works Committee reported as follows:— Xour committee have to report, inter alia:—(1) The Otago Dock Trust having aßkea for a buoy and cable to be laid at tbe entrance to the dock to assist vessels making use of the dock, your committee have agreed to Bupply a spare buoy, but regret that they have no cable in stock, bo that tha trust will require to procure what is necetsary. (2) The application in re electrio plant having been considered, it was resolved that the seoretsry make inquiries from Mr Jones, electrician, In regard thereto, and report to the board. (3) Further inquiries having been made « a.s. Reynolds, the secretary waa authorised to have her advertised for Bale by public auction on the 22nd inst. The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S BEPOBT.

* The Finance Committee reported that the v, treasurer's report for April showed that the -tv revenue for the month, as compared with the jso same month of last year, had been well main'<r^ tamed. The outstanding accounts for dues on imports were comparatively small, but a large number had not yet settled for the export trade. The usual remittances had to be made by the mail on the 16th inßt. for the July coupons, and vouchers passed for same. Accounts had been passed amounting to £18,483 16 i sd. s Mr Caegill, in moving the adoption of the report, said that the receipts for the month of April were £530119s 8d as against £4067 for the corresponding month of last year, showing an increase of £1234; and the expenditure was £1277, as against £1577 for the corresponding month of last year. The report was adopted.

THE BOABD'S-LESSEES.

The board resumed its discussion on the question (hitherto considered in committee) of accepting a surrender of Mr D. Reid's lease. Mr Babe moved—"That the board accept surrender of Mr Reid's lease, and grant him a new lease for one year at same rent." Some discussion ensued with regard to the legal effect of this, and it was pointed out that Mr Justice Williams had decided that under the Pnblio Bodies' Leaseholds Act a surrender of the lease could be accepted, and a 12 months' lease granted, after which a fresh valuation could be made, and a further lease granted. The Matob moved as sn amendment—" That the matter be referred to the Finance Committee with a view to seeing whether some arrangement could not be come to with Mr Reid." If a surrender of the lease were accepted tha board would lobb £250 or £300 a year for the residue of the lease. Mr Thomson said that to accept the amendment meant shelving the whole matter. Mr Reid's lease had been before Beveral committees, who now referred the matter to the board in the hope of a settlement being arrived at. Relief should be granted to Mr Reid, whose case wa3 exceptionally severe, and who was suffering tinder certain disabilities. Mr Joel said that while fully sympathising with Mr Reid, be did not agree with the relief proposed to be granted to him. The fact was that Mr Reid had made a bad bargain, and desired to get out of it. If reductions were to be made in the rents charged to thi board's tenants, the Union Company and the speaker bad an equal right with Mr Reid to relief; and then the board's revenue from rents would fall from £7000 to £5000, and how would their debentures be theu met ?

Mr Allen Baid that, while glad to hear Mr Joel's opinion f bo questioned whether that gentleman, as a tenant of the board, had a right to vote on the question. Mr Cabchll pointed out that Mr Joel, though he might be a lessee, had not spoken in his own interest or that of the general body of tenants. In dealing with this matter, the speaker felt that he wbb called upon to deal with it in the interests of the board. He saw nothing in this proposal but to take asvsy from tho board a large portion of ils revenue, with a pretty tolerable oertainty that it would be followed by a demand for large reductions in the other rentals. He was astonished to hear it said that Mr Reid's was an exceptional ease. la what respects was it exceptional? Mr Reid's rental was not in excess of that paid by other tenants of the board in the 6amo block, and was very little more than that paid by Messrs Beid, Maclean, and Co o in the same street. It was not fair to keep repeating to the board these statements that Mr Reid's case was exceptional when it had again and again and again been shown that that was erroneous. Mr Keid's was not an exceptional case, except in bo far as he took up a large number of sections and built a large building upon them. In dealing with this question they had primarily to oonsider what the effect would be on the board's interests and revenue. The only element of certainty that he saw in the proposal was that there would be a large disadvantage to the board with a corresponding advantage to Mr Keid. With every desire to befriend Mr Reid and do everything he could in his (Mr Reid's) favour, he could not bring himself to accede to a request of that sort. The CifAiMiAN did not think there was any

member of the board who would like to see

their tenants brought to grief by having to pay ruinous rents. There was no doubt in his mind

that many of the board's tenants were paying ruinous rentals, and the snmo applied to the corporation tenauts. He was inclined to think that the time had come when the board should do something to relieve tho condition of their suffering tenants. If tho only way to keep up the public bodies of New Zealand was to exhaust the resouices of private citizens and drag them into the insolvency court, then be said the sooner they did away with their public bodies the better.—(Hear, hear.) Ho thought it was their duty to grant relief in this case. Mr Cabgiix: Take up the question as a whole, then. The Chairman : They talk about the Irish landlords, but I say the Irish landlords ate kings to the public bodies of New Zealand. Mr Caiuhll: Shame, Mr Chairman, to give expression to such an opinion. Mr Mackebeas suggested that a middle course might be devised, by which Mr Reid might be met without the interests of the board being sacrificed; but if that were not possible he would feel bound to vote against the motion.

Tho matter waa at this stage referred to a joint committee of the Finance and Reserves Committees to confer with Mr Reid.

KXPOBT DUES.

On the resumption of the discussion upon the recommendations of the Finance Committee as 'to a tariff of export dues, Mr Oasgill said that Mr Joel, who had given a great deal of thought to the matter, had a proposal to make which appeared to him likely to meet the difficulty. The proposal was simply this: That the board should levy rates on foreign exports as at present, and that for all exports coastwise from this port a moderate rate should be imposed without exemptions. Mr Joel said that as he was the seconder of Mr Allen's amendment it would hardly come with a good grace from him, until it was disposed of. to submit a counter-proposition at this stage. The matter, however, was in a nutshell. His suggestion wa9 that all foreign exports should ba charged at one rate, and all exports coastwise at another rate. The export rate coastwise would be similar to what the Chamber of Commerce desired, would be without exemptions, snd would treat all goods, manufactured or imported, in the same way. The only exception would be in the matter of charging carcases of mutton or beef, which were at present charged Id. The proposal he made was to charge an export rate on goods leaving the colony of 2s, and on all other goods of 63. The matter was then referred back to the Finance Committee, to report ,to the next meeting of the board. The board rose at 4 20 p.m.