NELSON HARBOR BOARD.

Colonist, Volume XLIV, Issue 10044, 28 February 1901, Page 2

NELSON HARBOR BOARD.

FIRST MEETING.

MR GRAHAM, M.H.R., ELECTED

CHAIRMAN.

The first meeting of the newly constituted Harbor Board was held at the City Council Chamberd at eleven o'clock yesterday mornMr A. E. Moore, Returning Officer, took the chair, and the following gentlemen took theiri seats : Messrs Finney, Trask, Hanby (City Representatives), Franklyn, P. Best (Country Representatives), Talbot (Richmond Borough Representative), Hursthouse (Motueka Borough Representative), J. Graham, M.H.R., and M. M. Webster. Mr Trask suggested that Mr Gully should be asked to act as Secretary for that meefc ing, This was seconded by Mr Finney and Mr Gully consented to do as requested. Mr Moore said that his duties as returning officer which had been somewhat onerous were about brought to a close. The members of the Board elected by the different constituencies had been notified in the usual manner by advertisement, and he yesterday received a telegram from the Under-Secretary for Marine, announcing that Messrs J. Graham, R. McKenzie, and M. M. Webster had been appointed by the Governor. The first business before the Board was that of the appointment of a chairman m the terms of Sec. 52 of the ''Harbours Act, 1878" which provides that the first meeting of a Board shall be held for that purpose, and that an annual meeting for a like purpose should be held on the first Tuesday in each year after the anniversary of the first meeting of the Board, the office of chairman to be held for one year only, though the holder would be eligible for re-election. Mr Trask said that as Mr Graham fathered the bill through the House, and taken a great interest in the bill and the harbor question generally, he would propose Mr Graham as the first chairman of the Board. He did not intend to make a speech about it but thought it would be a wise action on the part of She Board to elect Mr Graham. Mr Hanby se ßonded the motion, and said that it had been his intention, after consultation with people who had supported his candidature, to propose Mr Graham for the chairmanship, and it was also intended that a gentleman who was politically opposed to Mr Graham should second the proposition as an earnest that political feeling or animosity would have no place in directing their actions as members of the Board. At the same time he reserved his right to criticise or differ- from the chairman. It was only a graceful act upon the part of the Board that the father of the bill, who to his (Mr Hanby'3) knowledge had taken a great deal of trouble and exercised great tact in the matter, should be elected chairman, and he had much pleasure in seconding the nomination. Mr Webster in supporting the motion said that he wished to make a few remarks supplementary of those of the last speaker. In asking the citizens for a seat on the Board, it was not his own comfort or pleasure that he sought, on the contrary it was his wish to devote some of his leasure for the good of his fellow citizens. The idea of importing political strife was utterly foreign to his intention, as he hoped it was to the majority of those on the Board. No other nomination was forthcoming, and Mr Graham was declared unanimously elected to the position, and took his seat amidst applause. ! On the motion of Mr Hanby, seconded by ! Mr Trask, a vote of thanks was passed Mr A. E. Moore for the manner in which he had carried out his duties as returning officer, it being pointed out that Mr Moore had taken the trouble to do little things for the convenience of members that were really cutside his strict duty. Mr Moore expressed his gratification at the vote, and the fact that his services had given satisfaction. Mr Graham then said that he tendered his sincere and hearty thanks to v the Board for the honorable and onerous position they had placed him in. They were inaugurating a new local body whose functions would be quite as important, if not more important for a time than those of any public body we now had. It depended upon the gentlemen before him what success that body would achieve. It was his good fortune to steer the bill through the House satisfactorily. That it was he who had been able to accomplish this was an accident, as he felt that anyone of those he was addressing would have done the same thing for the constituency. The result was that a bill bad passed which would enable works to be carried out of a utility and benefit to the place that would be inestimable, and the

I members of the Board would have the opportunity to carry out these works. As chairman, his functions would be to carry out the law and act upon the by-laws which, he hoped the Boarfl would frame, it was not for a chairman to assume a dictatorial position, and he would endeavor to give every opportunity for a full expression of opinion so a§ to' arrive at what was best. Mr Graham then shortly sketfihfid the steps whioh had resulted from the action first taken three years ago, the position now being that the plans of two eminent , engineers, differing only in detail, not in principle had been selected by the Government as more suitable for us than others. By endowment, annual grant and dues, an income of £3,500 Had been assured, and on last year'd basis the expenditure bad been about £650, only leaving more than sufficient to pay interest on the sum estimated as necessary to carry out the approved plan. Members of the Board have to give this and others matters their very careful consideration, and if the plan approved by the Government was adopted, steps would require to be taken to obtain authority to raise the money by loan, and at the same time consent to if nepessary levy a rate of one penny in the £» A rate would not in his opinion be necessary, but the security" would require to be given in raising a loan, and this collateral security would enable the money to be obtained more cheaply than if the income was only relied upon. Mi Graham spoke of the prospective value of the mudflats which formed part of the Boards endowment, and with respect to Motiieka Harbor said that difficulties had arisen perhaps to a large extent through imperfect knowledge, but personally; andhe believed it was the feeling of the whole of the Board, there was no desire to harm or prejudice any part of the district or place it in a Worse position than at present. He would deprecate any action which would have this effect; The unanimity which had marked the initial proceeding of the Board was an augury that the Board was determined as far as in them lay to carry .put their duties to the best advantage of the people without political or personal feeling being allowed to intervene. What he might term the sinews of war had been placed in their hands with no niggardly handj and he hoped that they would be able to accomplish good work for the place. He felt honored by election to the position of Chairman, but the office would be no sinecure, and though he was supposed to be a man of leisure as he was not working for himself, but the fact was that his time was pretty well filled up, still he would find the time necessary to properly carry out the duties of Chairman of the Board. At that meeting they were precluded from taking any action that would bind the Board in any way* but there might be discussion, and he would suggest that the first thing to be done would be to obtain copies of the by-laws of other Boards, with the view of at next meeting setting up a sub-committee to frame by-laws. He had a oopy of the Wellington Board's by-laws, the plans and reports of the engineers' on the Nelson Harbor, and other papers, and he would freely give all the information possible to any member of the Board, Mr Hanby suggested that the first business ba the appointment of a temporary secretary. . Mr Finney said that he believed Captain Cox was willing to act temporarily. Mr Hursthouse thought that this might be extremely awkward if bis services as pilot were required while a meeting was in progress. He suggested that the chairman might-arrange for a temporary secretary. Mr Hursthouse proceeded to speak upon the matter of the Motueka harbor, and said that he had a 'notice of motion to hand in for discussion at next meeting if the Chairman would allow. He had been led to believe that there would be no great difficulty in granting the request that he would make, and if the Motueka people -got what they hoped for, there would be absolutely no friction. He desired to work amicably for the good of the -district as a whole, but the Motueka people thought they had been put in a worse position than they were before, he thought this had been done through misapprehension or want of knowledge, but there would be no friction if the Board met their desires. Mr Franklyn : What if they don't ? Mr Hursthouse : That is my business. The Chairman ruled that Mr Hursthouse could give notice of motion, but there must be no discussion on it. Mr Trask suggested Mr Moore as temporary secretary, but Mr Moore could not see his way to act. Some desultory discussion took place with regard to the appointment of a temporary secretary and the question arose whether the Board could proceed to transact business, The Chairman ruled that the Board could not do any business that would be operative and binding on the Board, the Act clearly setting out the meeting was a special one to appoint a Chairman only, still they might discuss things generally. With regard to the temporary secretary he would rather be relieved of the appointment, if he made a choice it would naturally be a man he considered fitted for the position, and that man might be an applicant for the permanent position, and it would perhaps be laying himself open to a charge of favouritism if he made any appointment. He understood that Captain Cox was willing to act temporarily, and he thought this would act admirably, the Captain being able to employ a clerk of his own choosing. „,..,_ It was then unanimously agreed that tne Chairman ask Captain Cox to act as temporary secretary. . Mr Finney mentioned the matter of funds. Mr Graham explained that since the Act was passed a debit and credit account had been kept, and the funds- had been, and were accming for the benefit of the Board. He thought it would be well to let well alone till the Board was in proper working order Mr Trask said that he would like it to be dearly understood that in having an income of something like £3,000 per annum assured Nelson had been liberally treated, and the Board been enabled to start on a firm foundation. Also, that the chance of a rate being required was very remote, but even if it was levied it would only mean 8s 4d per annum on a property of the rental value of £100. His own opinion was that with the improvement of the narbor the revenue would improve, and that the endowments would improve in value. No other business being permissable, Mr Hursthouse gave notice to move at next meeting as follows:—" That in the opinion of this Board it is advisable to vest the Motueka wharf and harbor in the Motueka Borough Council, and that the necessary action be taken to amend the Nelson Harbor Act of 1900 in that direction." The Chairman intimated that he would be able to supply each of the members of the Board with a copy of the Nelson Harbor Act, and it was resolved that copies of the Harbors Act and amendments should be procured for each member. After discussion, it was decided that the date of next meeting be fixed by the Chairman when the information sought from other Boards is available. A vote of thanks to Mr Gully for his services as secretary terminated the proceedings.