OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 50

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The first monthly meeting for the year of the Otago Harbour Board last week was attended by Messrs J. Me. Dickson M.P. (chairman), H. C. Campbell, Keith Ramsay, D. F. H. Sharpe, A. Cable, W. Gow, O. H. Moller, T. Anderson, D. Larnach. H. M. Driver, J. Loudon, and Captain Coll M’Donald. FINANCIAL. The bank balances showed a credit of £12,172 2s 9d. APPLICATION FOR GRANT DECLINED. A letter was received from the Port Chalmers Waterside Workers’ Union requestiing a donation to its picnic funds. The picnic is to take place at Waikouaiti on February 5. The Chairman, in answer to a question, said they had received no application from the Dunedin union this year, and that they had not received an application from Port Chalmers last year. Mr Gow moved that the request be declined. Captain M’Donald seconded the motion. Mr Anderson asked if a donation had not been given last year to the Dunedin and Port Chalmers unions. The Secretary said that no payment had been made to either body. Mr Anderson moved as an amendment, that the Port Chalmers union be granted three guineas. Mr Cable seconded the amendment, which was lost, only four voting for it, and the motion was carried. SANDERS CUP CONTEST. The Standing Committee recommended that the sum of £lO 10s be granted towards the expenses of sending the Winifred to Lyttelton to, compete in the Sanders Cup contest. The recommendation was approved. BOARD LEASES. Mr Gow submitted the report of the sub-committec set up to deal with the term of the board’s leases. The recommendations read:— “That clause 1 of Mr Gow’s notice of motion of October 14, 1926, be adopted.” “That, before any sections are submitted for lease, for the first time, in the future, the board shall give a decision as to the term of lease.” - “That the unlet sections in blocks 74 and 75, about to be offered for lease, be for 14-year terms, with the usual renewal clauses, save that sections 18/26 and 45/51 be held in abeyance meantime.” Mr Gow’s notice of motion read as fol-lows:—-“That anj' decision’ of the board regarding the length of term on which the board’s endowments still remaining unleased may in future be leased, be now rescinded.” (This decision was made on April 24, 1923, and was to the effect that, in the future, the initial terra of the leases was to be 21 years, with renewal terms of 14 years.) Mr Go ’ said that the reason which Jed the committee to make these recommendations was that by resolution in April, 1923. the board had tied its hands as to the term of a lease. Seeing that the matter was controlled by the Harbours Act, the committee had considered that there was no reason to thus tie its hands. He thought the board should have the right to do anything, it desired, within the terms of its constitution, when dealing with the terms of leases. The report was adopted. '■ ; WAR MEMORIAL GRANT. A letter from the Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley, M.P.) soliciting a further donation towards the liquidation of the cost of the city war memorial was received.— It was decided to give another £5O in addition to the £lOO already granted. MR WILKIE’S REPORT. The Chairman said that Mr Wilkie’s report on his trip Home in connection with the purchase of a new dredge would be ready by February 9. He presumed that a special meeting of the board would be held to consider the report. It was decided to hold a special meeting of the board on February 15 to consider the report. COST OF PRINTING. Mr Ramsay asked the chairman what was the actual cost of compiling the elaborate board reports and statement of accounts. When told last year’s cost was £95, he said it seemed too much. The Chairman explained, however, that these reports were not compiled for the use of members alone. They were sent t to harbour boards all over the world. SALARIES AND WAGES. . The board went into committee to consider the question of.salaries,- wages, ate., and it' was decided- to refer the matter to a sub-committee for a rejiprt.