CHANCE OF CHAIRMAN.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13095, 2 May 1911, Page 2

CHANCE OF CHAIRMAN.

AT THE NELSON HARBOUR BOARD. MR. GEORGE MACMAHON ELECTAfter filling the office of chairman of the Nelson Harbour Board since its inception ten years ago, Mr, J. Graham, M.P., was defeated for the position by the newly elected Board yesterday, Mr. George Macmahon being elected as hie successor. Mr, H. R. Duncan, in proposing that Mr. Maemahon be elected as chairman, said that tlie public considered a change was necessary- It might be urged that tho chairmanship should be held by a city man, but he was nob sure that this was a good argument, as there were important developments pending and tho country districts were entitled to consideration. Mr. Macmahon had had experience on many local bodies, and had ably conducted any business in his charge. He moved in favour of Mr. Macmahon, without disrespect to Mr. Graham who was the most able man amongst them and reiterated that the public desired to , see a change in the chairmanship. Mr. Lock, in seconding the motion, did not think the chairmanship should be occupied by one man continuously. Things in connection with the Harbour Board, he declared, were not too "rosy." They had a- worn out tug and rotten barges, and had not got control of the wharf. There was room for a great deal of improvement to the harbour in view of the expansion of tho export trade. Mr. Macmahon had had a great deal of experience in local bodies, and would mako an admirable chairman.

Mr. Franklyn proposed that Mr. Graham bo re-elected chairman. In doing so he did not cast the slightest reflection on Mr. Macmahon. He had sat under Mr. Graham since tho inception of the Board, and although at time he had differed from him, tho Hoard under his administration had done sp!<Si<li<l work. They had set out with tho object of bringing vessels of 5,000 or .6,000 tons to the port, but had got beyond that, and it was only tho other day that a steamer of 10,000 tons had entered the port without difficulty. If this was a populous district he would say go on, but a ten thousand ton steamer was more than was required for the trade of the port. She had only taken 7,000 carcases, when she could have taken 100,000 if they had been available. In appointing a chairman, they had to look to his financial capacity, and in' the past Mr. Graham had looked after the pub. lie funds as if they had been his own. If the Board had not been properly conducted it would have gone to ruin. Practically all their revenna wag derived from' pilotage and he questioned the advisability of going in for further extensive harbour improvements1 at the present time. Mr. Lock rose to a point of order, and said Mr. Franklyn was not speaking on the subject of the motion Mr Franklyn retorted that Mr. Lock had spoken of rotten barges and asked what they had to do with tho election of chairman. Continuing, Mr I'rauklyn urged that in view of the new members on the Board Mr. Graham should be elected for another term. He^ supported Mr. Graham's policy, and if he voted against him 'ho would be going against the wishes of those who had elected him.

Mr. Trask, in seconding the amendment, strongly supported the re-elec-tion of Mr. Graham. There was no one on the Board who had things at his finger ends like Mr. Graham, and it would be folly if members elected a man who had only just put his foot in the door.

The motion for the election of Mr. Graham was then put and lost: Ayes: Messrs Colcman, Franklyn and Trask ; Noes: Messrs Duncan," Lock, Best, Mercer. Macnab. Messrs Graham and Macmahon refrained from voting. The secretary (who was in the chair) then declared Mr. Macmahon elected.

Mi. Maemahon thanked the members for electing him to the position, and said it came as a surprise to him that a majority of the Board wished him to bo chairman. Ho would do his utmost to carry out the duties and hoped he would have the assistance of every member of the Board. He hoped Mr. Graham would not feel harshly towards him, but he was in the hands of the ratepayers, and if they wished a change, their wishes should be carried out. His personal interests were deeply involved in the harbour and ho lioped they would all work together to make the harbour a greater success than in the past. Mr. Graham complimented Mr Maemahon on his election as chairman, and added that what had been dono had not taken him by surprise. Ho said he had been chairman of tho Board since 1900, and said that then he had accepted the position at the request of the late Mr. Seddon. Ho detailed the work that had been carried out, and said that their business in the past had been to maintain that there should bo no ratepayers in tho harbour district, and in this they had been successful. If the. Board decided to go in for further improvements it could only be done by going to Parliament and asking for power to raiso a loan. Over £10,000 of the Board's own funds had been expended, and instead of providing a harbour for tho ingress and ogress of 6000 ton vessels they had carried out a work that enabled vessels of nearly double the tannage to work the port. He thought the position of the Board was particularly "rosy." They had sufficient revenue to maintain the present work without imposing a rato on tho people. The Board was in a much more "rosy" position than any other local body. They had no overdraft and could pay interest without calling upon anybody for a single penny. He hoped tho Board would continue in the same position. The dredge was in excellent order for the work required inside tho harbour. He warned the new Board to be careful. If they wanted further improvements they could not do it without the sanction of the ratepayers. If they started dredging outside the harbour it would bo an everlasting job. Having served for ten years, and having fulfilled the object for which tho Board was first established, viz., to provide an entrance for ocean going steamers, without a rate on the people, ho was satisfied. Had it not been for street corner talk he would not have offered himself for re-election, his work being finished, but he preferred to lose tho position the way ho had done than by resigning. His work had been honestly done and he was perfectly satisfied with what had been dono.

Mr. Macmahon, from the chair, moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Graham for his services during tho past ten years, and expressed the hopo that he would take the same interest in the Board as he had done in tho past.

Mr. Duncan, in seconding the motion, said be had always admired tho way in which Mr. Graham had met opposition—he had mot it as a strong man should. The people desired a more progressive policy, and it was for that alone he had taken action. Ho was not actuated by any personal motives.

Mr. Maenab said he had no personal feeling against Mr. Graham, but felt he would be better off under another chairman.

Mr. Franklyn. also supported the-" motion, adding that it was all very well to put a man down and then pass him a vote of thanks. Very few knew tlie work that Mr. Graham had done for the Board, and he thoroughly deserved a vote of thanks.

Mr. Mercer said ho had not supported Mr. Macmahon out of any disrespect to Mr. Graham. Mr. Best, in supporting the motion, suggested that a photograph of Mr. Graham should be obtained and hung up in the Board room. Mr. Coleman hoped the next ten years would bo as profitable to the 'people of the district as the past and

he hoped Mr. Machiahon's term would prove as profitable as Mr. Graham's. ' Mr. Lock supported the motion and said Mr. Graham should be thanked for his very great services to the Board. He was the most abl© man for the chair, but the work dono without a rate was not the work that was to have been carried out under tho scheme. The motion was carried unanimously amidst applause Mr. Graham thanked the members for the kirfdly words spoken. The chairman would not find the work difficult unless the Board went in for raising a loan for further improvements.