THE HARBOURS ACT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19251, 15 August 1924, Page 4

THE HARBOURS ACT.

DEPARTURE IN ADMINISTRATION-

(Pkb United P.bess Association.) WELLINGTON, August 14. What ho characterised as a departure in administration of the Harbours Act was referred to by the Hon. G. J. Anderson (Minister of Murine) at the annual conference of the Harbour Boards. This was a point on which he had found it necessary to take a strong stand. The Act provided that before harbour work might be commenced plans must be approved and work authorised by the Govornor-Gencral-in-Council. Hitherto the attitude had largely been that if the work proposed would not tend to the injury of navigation the department sanction under the Act was fulfilled. The time had now arrived, however, when more active interest in the expenditure of these moneys should bo taken by the department. They should consider (1) whether the work was essential, the transport cf goode being not otherwise economically possible; (2) whether it was sound from navigational and engineering points of view; (5) if other means of transport existed and whether the work would be cf such advantage as to be self-supporting without recourse to a special rate.

He thought, therefore, that before any new harbour works were undertaken full plans should bo submitted to the Marine Department and investigated impartially. The people of the dominion were the ultimate backers of all such schemes, for it was they who had to foot the bill. This was already in. the Act, and he meant to sea that it was carried ouL