WAITARA HARBOUR BOARD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 102, 20 June 1911, Page 5

WAITARA HARBOUR BOARD.

PERMANENT STAFF TO GO. AN UNAVAILING OPPOSITION. 'Some sharp passages. A special meeting of the Waitara Harbour Board was held at tile Board’s office yesterday afternoon. 'The special business was to receive the report of the committee set up to deal with the re-organisa-tion of the permanent staff. At the last regular meeting it was decided to give the permanent staff notice of the Board’s intention to dispense with their services, gird a committee was set up. ’ . The chairman, in opening the proceedings, explained that he had decided to allow Mr Mine to tiring on the motion of which he had given notice, this being diametrically opposed to the recommendations which would lie submitted by the committee.

There was a gathering of about a dozen members of the public present, and their applause was au indication that they were opposed to the proSiscd methods of re-organisation. Mi ino was unsuccessful m his endeavour to have the Board’s decision reconsidered, and several members of the present staff will bo dismissed at the end of the current month. The committee set up to considei the question reported as follows: ‘As directed at the last monthly meeting, your committee met and discussed the matter of re-organisation of the staff and arrived at the following decisions, which are' now before

you for your consideration: (a) Thai tho positions of harbourmaster, wharfinger and secretary continue to he held by one man, who shall be a master mariner with a sea-going certificate, his salary to ho £250 poi annum. (b) That a cadet lie ap-

pointed to assist in the office at a salary of £4O per annum with annual increases of £lO until the salary £BO per annum. (e) That W. Laing lie re-appointed pilot and dredge-mas-ter at a salary of £156 per annum with free house; that he assist the secretary in the office when required to do so during the busy season, and generally under the supervision qf the harbourmaster to have charge of alt river work; that he bo relieved of all labouring work on the wharf and in the sheds.

“Although tliis effects a saving of £9O par annum,' it is not the primary object in view in regard to the re-or-ganising. The great need for efficiency in carrying out the work of the pan is l the disturbing of the duties of offices in a more practicable manner. and not simply making clerical duties tire main feature, tuns taking the first step towards progress. lire duties at present are, in the opinion of your committee, simply those pertaining to office work, and this will never improve the harbour. What wo feel is required is the services ol a qualified master mariner who can advise and assist.the Hoard in improving the conditions of the port, and who at the same time is qualified to take full charge of the harbour and its workings, and with competent assistance this can bo carried out under the conditions set forth. Want of propei supervision during the past appears to us to have been the cause of money being spent injndiously and hot economically, but wc are of the opinion that the now scheme will do away with this and other anomalies. It is said that the office work cannot be done with tho assistance of a cadet, but wo might point out that a for years ago, when there was more shipping, the present clerk was a cadet and evidently did manage to give the assistance required by the secretary. There was also a time when the work of harbourmaster, wharfinger, pilot, and secretary wore carried out by Mi Cameron without any assistance, and at that time there was undoubtedly very much more work to do, with perhaps an exception in tho wool season. The suggested combinations of offices appeal to the committee as being the best for the efficient carrying out of the work, and we .believe will bo to tho best interests of the development and progress of the port which, without any clou lit, requires the permanent services of an officer qualified to advise the Hoard, and be able to carry it out in a vigorous manner.” _ According to the suggested conditions of appointment, an applicant I'm the position of harbourmaster-secre-tary must lie a master mariner with, a sea-going certificate, and must hr

capable of carrying out the duties of harbourmaster, 'wharfinger, and secretary (pilot and cadet assisting). He must be capable of advising the Hoard on all matters connected with the improvement of the river, so as to enable them to cater for larger shipping facilities, and to take charge of all’such works. He will he required to take charge of all dredging work as supervisor, the pilot being actually in charge. (icnerally, he will carry net all works in connection with the* carp and improvement of the harbour and all works in connection therewith.

After a long and, at tiin-s, sharp discussion, the report was passed unaltered.