HARBOUR BOARD.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 985, 17 January 1883, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The Harbour Board held a special meeting on 'Monday afternoon to receive yearly statement of accounts. Present: Mr Gibson (chairman), Messrs Horner, -Aitchison', Peacock, and Adams. Mr Aitchison took his seat as being re-elected to represent the Borough Council. The Clerk explained that the balance I sheet and accounts for the ye'af had been prepared and were laid on tlie table, but were not audited through the auditor not arriving. Mr Aitchison suggested . that, notice should be sent to the auditor informing him that they were ready for bisoxamination. The Chairman moved that the accounts bo received as presented ■ and then held over until they were audited. • Tlie meeting adjourned sine die until the auditor'has certified. Ordinary business of the regular monthly meeting was then proceeded with. ■ - GIVING UP A LEASE. Click Bourke wrote giving notice of bis intention to give up his lease of section 73, lot 2, Harbour Board reserve at the heads.’ Mr-Rhodes also asked to bo relieved of a section.. The Board could not'interfere. DISTURBING HARBOUR PROPERTY. ■; Messrs Gordon and O’Hara wrote apologising for having removed a small quantify of . stones from tho heads for a culvert and. offering payment for the same. Mr Horner suggested that a nominal Charge should be made after the apology. Resolved to charge twenty slnllings*for the stone. PILOT BOAT. Pilot Flowerday reported that the class of boat required for him at the Heads' should be fourteen feet long, four feet six broad, and whale-boat shape. The Chairman was authorised to get the boat. REMOVING GRAVEL. Messrs Gordon and O’Hara asked to be allowed to remove gravel from the pit at Patea Heads, for laying on footpaths in the Borough, and offering threepence per cubic yard, HARBOUR ENGINEER. Mr John Thomson wrote from Waitara —“ I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 12th inst., containing resolutions of the Harbour Board re-appoint-ing me as their Engineer, and asking for a report and estimate for future extension of the harbour works “I have much pleasure in accepting tho re-appointment on the terms stated, and wish to thank the Board for the same. “The question of future works is under consideration, and I have had an interview with the Colonial Marine Engineer, to whom I explained the wishes of the Board and the present state of the harbour. It will be some time, probably February, before my report is ready, as there are so many questions to be taken into account so that the work may be done cheaply and yet strong enough to resist the very heavy seas to which it will be exposed.” HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION. Mr Thomas Eyton, Returning officer to tlie Board, wrote “On Monday, the 12th February next, tho biennial election of members will take place, I have, therefore, the honor to mention that since the last . election a change in the division of the harbour district lias taken place, and to request tho favour of your instructions on the subject. The schedule to the Harbours Act, 1878, defines the constitution of tlie Patea Harbour Board as consisting of, with other members, three to be elected by, the ridings of the Patea County. As you are aware, the Hnwera riding is now in the Hawera County, and only two ridings remain in the Patea County. The question is whether tlie Hawera riding can still legally return a member, or whether a member will or can be elected in some other manner. I have also to ask your opinion as to the most suitable polling places. The following legal opinion was submitted on the subject by Mr S. T. Filzherbert - In this matter I think that it is impossible for the election to be completely carried out at the present lime, that is to say for six members to be elected in terms of the schedule of the Harbours Act, 1878. The ridings of the Patea County are now reduced from three to two, and as the schedule directs that one member shall be elected by each of the ridings of the Patea County, I think it is plain that only two members can be returned instead of three at the forthcoming election. I would advise that no attempt be made to return a member for the old Hawera riding (now Hawera County), as I think any member returned, therefore, would be illegally elected. In order to fill up the vacancy in the meantime, I think that the Governor should bo asked to exercise his powers under section 41 of the Harbours Act, 1878, and appoint a member to fill the vacancy.” Mr Horner said the question was whether they could ask Hawera people to elect a member, and he would be sorry to see Hawera thrown out of the scale. He was inclined; to allow the election, and, if it was illegal, let some person contest the question with the Council. _ Mr Adams considered that they were in a worse condition than before.

Mr Peacock thought the greatest loss the county would receive if the legal opinion was carried out would be the loss of the rates. Hawcra would be extremely well off, as it was not touched by the Taranaki Harbour Board or Patea Board, and was going to reap the benefit of Patea County rates. It might mean a large item, and this Board received no rates from Hawera. The matter might bo referred to the secretary of the Marine Department for explanation. Mr Adams moved, and Mr Horner seconded, “ That the Returning Officer be informed that the harbour district comprise I he same area as at last election of members for this Board.” Carried . The Chairman would be inclined to accept the legal opinion. He did not think the resolution necessary, as the electoral districts must remain as before. Mr Aitchison : We could recommend Government to appoint a member. I move, “That as Hawera Riding is now separated from Patea County ,<md, according to the legal opinion obtained, the member for Hawera cannot now be legally elected, the Governor be asked to exercise his powers under section 41,1878 Harbours Act, and appoint a member to represent that portion of the harbor district.” Mr Peacock seconded the motion, pro forma. Mr Horner, thought that they were taking power in their own hands to exclude Hawera, which might give umbrage. ! The Chairman did not consider they

were excluding Hawera, -and as he had represented it before, he intended,, in case of a contest, to stand for it again.: . They were not disfranchising it, and if the Hawera people took an interest in, the Board’s affairs, they would call a meeting and agree amongst themselves as®what gentlemen they wished electedvrarid forward names to the Governor for his approval. He would vote according to the legal opinion obtained. The motion was carried on the casting y ote of - the; Gh airman-,'— -- ‘ :'rr ■ r GRAVEL PITS. Mr Felix McCarthy waited on the Board with reference to a piece of ground leased by him in December, 1878, fromjhe Board. The Board !had reserved 5 the‘fight-to take away gravel, yet he had been made to pay for some removed by Proctor, Downes, & Co., and others had been Went on the ground by Mr Coutts, when Chairman of the Board, to remove gravel. He thought he should bo allowed to make a joint charge with the Council for the gravel. The Board appeared to bo of opinion that something should be done in the matter, and further consideration of it was deferred until next meeting; WHARFINGER’S REPORT. The Wharfinger reported everything in good order and enclosed a list of outstanding accounts, amounting to £IOO 4s 2d, wharfage charges. It was resolved that all unpaid accounts to 31st December be sued for. PILOT’S REPORT,. The pilot reported for the months of December arid ; January.—“ The.; bar ; is more to the eastward than when I reported last, but not so good, there being less water ; I should think eight feet at neap tides and ten at springs. The channel along the breakwater is far narrower, but 1 think the spring tides will clear it but. There is a good depth of water in the channel. There have been eleven arrivals and twelve departures since my last report. Everything is in good working order. In my last report I requested you to add another room to the house. If you do not feel inclined to do it, would you remove the shed alongside of house and make a room of it as we cannot do without it. I also requested a fireplace to be made in the sitting-room as there is but one fireplace in the house and we cannot do without another in winter.” The Chairman and Mr Aitchison were appointed to make an examination of the pilot’s house, to report next meeting. The report was then adopted. ACCOUNTS. . , The following accounts were passed for payment: —H. Jones, 30s ; Kenworthy, 26s 6d ; Gibson, 16s 6d ; J, Black, £1 Is ; York and Cornfoot, 3s 3d ; Patea Mail , £3 18s ; E. Smith, 14s 6d ; D. M, Harris, £1 Is. This concluded the business.