HARBOR SCHEME.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16348, 4 February 1924, Page 2

HARBOR SCHEME.

i MODIFIED WORKS. ' Si CANNOT BE PROCEEDED WITH, HARBOR BOARD DISCUSSION. Fifjtncr reference to the conference roga.rdMo' thei harbor between the Board and Bie Minister of Marine was made at the- 'adjourned monthly meeting of tht< Harbor Board this morning, when the letter received from the Minister prior to his departure from Gisborne was placed , before members. The conference was further referred, to. in the following ex--1 tract'' from the enginear's report : "On Monday. January 21, the Honorable*!; the Minister of' Marine, accompanied by the .marine engineer and the '< secretary' of the Marine Department, met • theißoa'rd for the purpose of discussing the. Board's policy of. harbor construction. Aftf? somo discussion in the board-room, a conference was arranged between the Marine! engineer and tho Board's engineer, the result of which was that the Board's engineer was ab'.e to suggest # \nria.tion .of the scheme which met with appJiyaP of; thW Marine engineer. A plan:< oi the first instalment—-varied as been prepared, and will . be placed before the Marine engineer as sooaiasih'e is wpll. enough to'.attend to business.*'' >■ ' ~*■,.. ■ :L> respect to the letter from the Min-the.-'chairman said that they were in/roceipt''of.a-telcgram received from the Mirfffcter," which put rather a. different ' ligh£ on tho matter. Tl}e telegram stated: —"Have not yet received Law Officii opinion re proceeding witft' modified -scheme, but. am verbally infdrmed that principal law officer is of opinion that the 1919 Act only authorises expenditure on outer harbor for ..accommodation.: of vessels of large tonnage. Schfe&'iß* present under consideration • docjteriot in his opinion come within the terril's of the Actr This means modified scheme^cannot be proceeded with, except under atfthoritv of amending Act. Will ■ forward- considered written opinion of Crown Law Office as soon as received." Li reference to the telegram, Dr. Collins stated that he intended to deal with it. Ho pointed out that, in his opinion; this telegram was onei of the most 'disastrous 'that a local, body could receive. The ground had been .cut* away from under their feet and they were back where thoy started. Referring to the Board's Enabling Act. Dr. Collins stated that the person who drafted it was the best one to interpret it. The Act stated that the Board should build an outer harbor, spend £1,000,000 and that it-shall accommodate' large vessels. What is the position? There was always an opening. He thought he could disperse the difficulties. Leslie Reynolds' scheme was composed of'itwo or three parts, but the Act said they should build an outer harbor and it should not exceed £1.000,000. Mr. Reynolds' scheme was outside the stipulations of the Act. It. was . evident that they could not build a. Leslie Reynolds' harbor. When the plans came before the Minister and the f Marine Department the Department did hot consider the blue markings, because they-did not consider it would he needed till 20 or 30 years. If they would look at the plans "they would see what the Marine Department took into consideration (the red part.) They passed the red markings as an outer harbor because it was within the'stipuiations of the Act.> The Department hold that it is an outer harbor, for provision has been made for 1 accommodation for vessels of "largo tonnage. They wcrei -entitled to consider: it an outer harbor within the meaning of the Act, and the Board was entitled to

carry it%it. If it was reported to the Crown Law Office, backed by the Marino $ Department the difficulties, might be overcome. It '. ■ was for ■ ; the Board' to prove- to the • ratepayers that they can construct the* harbor for £1,000,000. If; they did ' not do this, /before they can: proceed to construct ..they .had to have another: Enabling- Act, amend the present go to the ratepayers again. ~■'*;•■- ■. ""'-''" . Contjnjyiingi','. ,D%. Collins, said that if the to go on with the red parfil'oTthe Leslie Reynolds scheme, there v wafeonly,one person who-could go into ihj^{eosts—Mx.Leslie Reynolds. He wonldj*Jiave- to be brought ■in with the Board'srvengineer as ■ a consulting engineer. large harbor was incomplete in its .aeXails, and ioj dijd riot come within the-'pisy-isioris.of the Act. There was Mr. |3co. "Lysnar's scheme.' Mr., Lysnar" was sffi|pared to put his plan in front of Mr. Iralrkert, and the" latter, on being nskedjjjiy the Board, was prepared to give his opinion.' <Th» harbor could be completeajXfor £850,000. 'lt was held that it wdjjld enable them to comply with the Act. .jjjjk was said that it was an .entirely new BSrbor. He said he held no brief .for Mr. Ejtsnar. Mr. Lysnar was prepared— MrM|podd asked if it was all sin order. The'chairman said he prepared to go on., ; ./ _,'., Ih";-' CblKns: Mr. Lysnar is prepared, after Mr. Furkert has seen the plans, to Holmes and Mr. Furkert to find what ist a fair remuneration. If the plans are adopted he expects to recerve remuneration. If this is adopted they need'not go to the ratepayers again. ,In beginning construction they did not want to go to the ratepayers again. There wergi* the three schemes, the l Reynolds schejjie, the modified scheme, and the i Lysnar scheme. ; That was the issue. to choose one. i Dp. referred to the costs of the . diff&reit schemes i secured. If they deeide|j; to have nothing to do with Mr. Lyswir they would have to go to Mr. Reynolds' scheme. - He then proceeded to/ move a resolution : /'That the Board afek Mr. Fu/kert to investigate Mr. Geo. Arysnar's scheme*and'.report to the -This resolution was seconded by Mr. Mirfield. He thought that if they could build a harbor for, and could get all the vesselswikiTT-if they could do it for £B6O>OCO arid it v?as/'approved by the Department,., they,should take it on. Tse, chaii'itian.said that in the - face of tha telegram 'it fw impossible to make a with the modified harbor inside of 12- months. In the'face of the 'opinion of Mr. LySnarV ,echcioe it yrds their aim to investigate that would benefit the district. He believed Mr. Furkert would investigate it, if officially asked. It behoved them to ask Mr, Reynolds to come in arid /consult with' their engineer respecting the c6sfc of' his'harbor. Mr. Sherratt: What about' the £750,000'. The chairman : The moral obligation is right. In the face of the opinion it was theft duty to' investigate every, scheme. They would not be committed by the resadt'of Mr. Furkert's report. If, it was seen that the scheme is as good- as;, it is said to be, it would* be their duty to go Bjp with it. He was not in favor o f investigating any scheme that was going to cost of £1,000,000. They should have proper estimates. If they went in for »heT f modified scheme they might not get nn Bill through. Then they would get no harbor at ,'all. It was up 1o Jhe 'Board to have • ' iMr. Lysnar's scheme looked into. ! DJ. Collins : You cannot legally make any;* con tract with Mr. G. Lysnar unless youtgo to Parliament. The shairman said it seemed there was deliiy ahead of them. He had some pleasingL'iformation for them. Their engineer hacjXreceived information re some stone deposits; 'and after investigation found £ha*he could save the Board £200,000 to £3fjD,ooo if they constructed a harbor. Thi|* applied to the first instalment of fhe-ißeynolds scheme. 'J'am quite prepared to support the jesoSution." added 'the chairman. Mf. Quirk strongly supported Dr. 00lporwnity to lose. If it proved to be better than any of the others, they would be loolish notf to go on with it. They wers fortunate regarding the supplies 1 of stone.

M$ R. M. Birrell said he supported thejjgesolution. It was against his grain to dV»o. He had hoped they had finished witfljthn: name of Lysnar. ;H4 would far rathir have thfr Revnciius scheme adopted. Thejit would not be committed by Mr. report. . i'fX - # Mr. C. Williams said he was going to support Dr. Collins' motion. The trouble was'*dae to precipitate action. AflMioon os t£e motion was carried he intended to

move that the Board ask Mr. Furkert to report on the Kaiti diversion. Mr. Tombleson said that he was pleased to look into Mr. Lysnar's scheme. Mr. Sherratt thought that before passing the resolution they should have some idea of what they would got. If they were to ask Mr. Furkert to inspect the plan, what would he do? He would not say what it would cost. They were not going to pay anything for it. If they were open to receive schemes they should pass them on to Mr. Furker.i to report on. They did not want to he bitten again, lie agreed with Mr. William-i Hint it had been a case of "more haste less speed." and I hoy had landed up against a brick wall. Mr. Witters held thai Choice and Grant's scheme should lie placed before Mr. Furkert. Mr. Lysnar should receive a fee. The plan m Messrs. Cooke and Grant's scheme was gratis to tho Board, he understood. The chairman said that (here was only one resolution before the Hoard. ,' Mr. W. G. Sherratt said that with the saving on the stone the Reynolds scheme was brought within the £I.CCO.GCO. Mr. Waliis said fTfat if Mr. Lysnar's scheme was adopted they should have to start de novo. The chairman : That's not correct. Dr. Collins: Sir, 1 think you should not interrupt Mr. Waliis. 1 have the right to reply. Mr. Waliis, continuing, declared that if they took Mr. Lysnar's scheme they would have to get ii verified by other engineers. If they wanted plans and specifications they did not know ho\'long they would be before they would get a scheme. Mr. Todd doubled if Mr. Lysnar's scheme could bo done for Hie price stated. He. agr*ed with Mr. Waliis that, they would be morally bound to go to the ratepayers with any fresh scheme adopted. In reply. Dr. Collins pointed out that they could not enter legally into any contract, with Lysnat'- unless it had been ratified by Parliament, and Parliament might say, "(U> to the ratepayers." The Board wanted to know from Mr. Furkert if the scheme was the best, whether it was a new scheme, and thirdly, whetherit could be done for the money. They would have to go to the ratepayers ii Parliament desired it. l!e the investigation of other schemes, the Board conic. have someone to report on any scheme, but it would be unwise to get 'someone to report on a scheme that thev knew would cost more than £1.CCO,000". They were pinned down and he said it was their duty to go for the larger scheme. After the meeting, he was going to give notice of motion to rescind the rescission of Mr. Leslie Reynolds' scheme. Was it worth while having the scheme (Lysnar's) reported upon? He said it was. He hoped that they would be permitted to investigate the scheme. In answer to Mr. Sherratt, Dr. Collins said that the scheme would not come before the Board. Mr. Sherratt said they could not ask Mr. Furkert to inspect Mr. Lysnar's scheme if it had not come before the Board. Mr. Waliis enquired what they were to ask Mr. Furkert. Dr. Collins gave the three heads again. Whether it is the best scheme, a. new scheme, and can it be done for the money'; Mr. Witters wanted to know how Mr. Furkert would find out if it. was a new scheme. Mr. Sherratt: Why can't Mr. Lysnar put his plans on the table? Mr. Holdsworth considered they should see tho plans before they put ythem be fore anyone else. , On being put to the meeting the motion was carried by eight votes to six. Messrs. Sherratt, Witters. Holdsworth. Dymock. .Corson., and Waliis voting against. The Board's solicitors, Messrs. Chrisp and Chrisp, were in attendance, as also ,M r. -Geo., Lysnar. At this stage the meeting adjourned for lunch. Commenting on the engineer's report, Mr. T.'Todd considered they should push on with the plans and forward them tc the Marine Department. . Dr. Collhife moved that the plans be left in abeyance. . . Mr. TodcT'moved that the plans be forwarded to the Marino Department. The chairman said .the plans had bet ter be left, in abeyance' in the meantime. The following notice of motion war handed in by Dr. Collins : "That the motion of the Board rescinding the Reynolds scheme' be again rescinded, and in' case of failure of negotiations through any cause as between Mr.' O. Lysnar'and the Board, Mr. Reynolds' scheme be proceeded with, and Mr. Leslie Reynolds he app:>inted by the Board as consulting engineer to that end."