HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 50, 16 March 1901, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The New Plymouth Harbour Board me r . on Friday. Present Messrs Maxwell, Connet* - , McLean, Cliff, Ward, |Sarten, Hignett, and Ralfe. | A short discussion took place on the question of the distribution of the pamphlet issued by the Board, the Chairman intimating that as only a limited number had been ordered copiss could not db supplied to others than' specified by the Board, A further supply of 250 was authorised. Tho Engineer, Mr Marchmt, wrote stating he would meet Mr Napi»r Bell at the breakwater but would liko a woek's notice. With regard to sl«e >thing the walings he did cot think that course necesstry as at a wharf he built 18 years ago the walings w«r> not sheathed and were still sound. Ai to the deck spikes splitting the timber that was caused by insufficient boring, the small weak spikes were of very little use. As the contractor had received up to 75 per cent, of the contract no further payment should be made until 31 days after its eompletign. Wjth rog&rd to the piles which were obstructed by the old ones he did not know where tho difficulty was and could nod therefore give any cleir instruction. He also intimated that certain precaution; ary instructions should be given to the man appointed to work the sand pump ai it was advisable to prevent a further mishap. With reference to Mr. Napier Bell advising on the proposal to make a ho'e in the breakwater, the Engineer had t-tagraphod to the Secretary «uggeatidg that a copy of all reports and a j brief history of the w«y in which tho jß>ard hsd dealt from time to time with the question should be forw.irded to Mv. Bell; also suggesting th«t M". Svi-en should be ask-d to stata in writing his views and that a copy be sent to Mr. B«ll.

A letter from Mr. Bol', dated from Hobart, was peadj string he had b; en ill and the matter had slipped his attention, but he suggested that trie object in view would be ssrved by his having thn plans, ropotts and arguments submitted to him and aft°r fully considering the matier he would send his report. In reply to J>he ChftirmaTi Mr. Sarten s 'id he would not wriVe out a state-. ment, as he objected to do so oa principle. He understood Mr. ISoll was to be paid to come to New Pfyni.mth and personally inspect the breakwater, Ho was, however, quite willing to m»et Mr. Bell and verbally explain his proposals.

The Chairman mid it was for the Board to decide whethur they prefer Mr. Bell to report without coming to the breakwater in preference to a personal visit. All the information teked for by Mr. Bull had been forwardoil.

Mr. Sarten remarked that he had gsne te a 1 t of trouble and expend, and he did not believe there would be any value in Mr. Bell's report unlees that gectleman cam? and saw the state c[ 0 flairs himself. If Mr. Bell could not come he (Mr. Sarten) wqiild find an engineer at his own expena-i. He suggested asking Mr. Bell to s.iy whether or not he could come.

Mr. Connott advocated postp rung the matter till Mr. Bell was at liberty to make a personal visit, as otheruise the reporjb would not have the cfTct of securing finality to the question. Mr. McL"an said the object of tfafi Boird was to get at the bottom of the affair, and this would not be attiinrd unless Mr. Bell came and saw f. r himself. ;

It was deoidpd tibat tha matter stand over until Mr, Bell is able tp' vt'si: Jfo* Plymouth. A letter was read from the Board's soliritor, Mr. Samuel, reporting that he had received a deposit, sufficient to cover expenses of advertising, from the applicant for sections on tho Mt. Eiliot Reserve, and that he had advertised the sale by auction nf the leasts in question in the Herald. His a'tsnt ; on had, however, been drawn to the fact that tho advertisement was uppearini' in tho Daily News, and as the deposit he had received was only sufficient to cover the cost of the statutory advertisement in on« paper lii hadbrmgiit the matter to the notice of the Secretary of the Board, i

la reply to the Chairman, the Secretary said it was his custom to {leave

merit in the wharf extension works. the advertising cf such matters in the solicitor's hands. Other advertisements woro inserted in h >th papers. ' Mr. ITiiWitis strongly protested against 'h<'. Solicitor having the control of any of the Boar'i'a advertising. He thought it was an improper system ard altogether wrou<7, and that the Board shouid control all advertisements in connection with its business. Tr.e utmost publicity should bo given to sali-s of leases of the Board's property, and advertisements should certainly appear in both papers. The Chairman said that whether right or wrong tho matter rested with the Board, in they placed the business in tho Solicitor's hands to deal with.

Mr. Cliff emended the greatest publicity was r.ecsssary, and it was wrong to confine tho advertisement to one paper. He nv>ved that the advertisement in the Daily News, though not inserted by the solicitor, be paid for. This was seconded by Mr. Hignetfe. After some further discussion in which it was generally agread that no slur was cast on Mr Samuel and that as it was if* the interest of the Board to ht.vo tho property well advertised, the motion wan carried. The Chairman remarked that tho omission to odvertigo more fully arose from an oversight at the time. 00. the motion cf Mr Hignett it was decided tint in future a'l advertissments of the Board be sent to the various newspap'rs by tho Board's sesretary.

Mr Giff raised the question of the lega'ity of Mr S. W. Sh-w, •• !<o was one of Mr Newton Kiug's staff, selling the lease*. Mr Sarten Raid he was sure it was not legal for a member to be inter, sted either directly or indirectly in the tale of the Board's property.

Mr Samuel attetded the Beard and advised that it was potf>ctlv legal for Mr Shaw to sell, but if Mr King touched a single sixpence of the commi'sit n hi would forfeit bis seat and b<> Table to a penalty of{£so. In the course c-f the! iftornosn sitting a kttar was read from I Mr Samuel statiog that ha had interviewed Mr Shaw who said that another' auctioneer would conduct tho sale of the leases at Mr King's matt which would be lent for ihe occasion. He nuggasted that the sreretary s'uould attend the salo and be autfcotis'd te sign agreements for leases on behalf of the Board. A resolu'ion embodying the suggestion was pissod.

A letter was read from the Marino Department foiwarding a cipy of the verdict of the jury at the inquest on the death r.f the late Mr. Hart, wuh the rider sugg> sting warning boards being put up. The Chairman said it would be a mistake to acknowledjjo any responsibility. After a short discussion the maUer dropped ;, A letter was real from thj D--p»rt-ment of Lmds relative to repairing the Breakwater Road and stating th* matter was one for the Railway Department to deal with. A letter ftorn •the latter Department stated that the road was of no service to them and therefore they could not contribute to the cost of repairs. The Chairman s«id there was no doubt as to the Minister of L*nds having promised 410Q, Aft'ar spmo fi : scus<iqu \i was decided to write to Mr. Duncan reminding him of his promise that if the B lilway Department would not pay the 'jfilQOi l ; should bs giv<n by the La!,di Department.

A letter was r.'ad iiom the Minister of Railways stating he wpsadviiedit was never intended, the whole of the large stories should bo handed over to the Board but the Engineer had been instructed to place ns many as possible at the Board's service.

Tho Chairman pointod out that this promise amounted to littlo at the large stones were being blast d. The whule of the correspondence, resolutions, etc , "ii the matter wfrareid. Mr. McLean said that the mattor was one of considerable importance *nd be thought it would be best dealt «■ ith by an interview with the Minister, He suggested that a deputation consisting of tho Mr. Ctannett an-1 tho member for the district should wait on tho Min ; s'er and endeavour to obtain a satisfactory arrangsmmt. Mr, Higne't moved that this Board point out tho notion of tho Department in romov ; ng; large quantities of stono and blas'ing stone up to 20 tons was likejy to he dis"stin»viß to the bo<t interests of the harbour, and that tho protest* of the Botrd are practically ienored ; that tho welfare of tho port is the first consideration and that the Department is iu a secondary position and that the Board regrets to find that tho Department in dealings wl'h tho Bor.rd is acting in a manner which h j, prpjudici'l 'o the harbour. I Mr, Ralfe urge,d first pending a deputation, and if no satisfactory result was obtained then pass the resolution. Mr. Sartsn agreed. Mr. Higr.eft did not see his way to withdraw the motion, as he had carefully considered the matter, and felt it whs one of principle. If memb.os objected to the motion, they had tho option in fror.t f.f them of voting Bgainst it, but the responsibility reslocl with the Board, nnd by the action taken the constituents would be ab'o to judge of their p'l'cy. H« considered the Boird would only be doing its duly in rakiog a firm s'and. The Chair/nan seconded the motion SHf} foprfia. Tie had talked the matter riynr' Hth Mr. Hignett during tho luncheon adjournment and agreed with it, but finding that so many members were ia favour of a deputation, he agreed with the suggestion to postpone the moti ■%■. Mr. McLean pointed out that it was rarely matters of this kind were brought directly under the notice, but were generelly dealt with by he'ds of departments. He ag/eod with the proposal to go dirrct to the Minister. It was no use to bsrk unless they csald bi*e.

Several niembe's expressed a strone opinion on the action of the Department, and the waste cauasd by shattering 20 ton blocks of stone. After a prolonged discussion the motion was passad, as was a further motion by Mr. Cliff that a deputation consisting of Mepsrs. &n r l I Ootmott interview the Minister of | Hailways on the mafter. j | Along aud sotro hat warm debate took place on the ques'iou of altera-' ikons required by the Railway Deput*

There was nothing before the Itaard but hearsay matter. It vas insisted that t'-io Board should take a fivni stand, tho plans having bnen approved by tho Marino Department. Mr. Barton movsd that th« contractors be instructed to go on with the work, Mr. Cliff moved that tha matter bo left in tho hands of a committee; the proposed members, however, declined to not. Both motions lapsed for want of a seconder, and the subject was dropped. Authority was given for an extra to the wharf conttaot,

A request by the Department of Agriculture to bo furnished with monthly roiurna of produce exported was complied with.

The harbaurmaster reportoi that 37 steamers had been berthed of an aggregate tonago of 27,262 tons, the ■mooris being 2641 tons and exports 3012, The dredge had removed 9360 cubic yards of saed, He suggested importing an acetylene gas apparatus to supply light to the wharf and approaches at a cost of about £lO.

The Foreman's report was read. In reply to Mr. Sirten, the Chairman said the pump had been worked and went w<-H.

Mr. Ward, pursuant to notice?, moved that tho secretary's salary be increased by a year. Ha said it was only a matter of justice to a good servant who did his work well and" bad a great ded more to do than formerly. He considered it only right that the secretary's salary shou'd be brought up to near the mark where it stood when it was reduced.

The Chairman seconded the motion which was supported by most of the members who p.«d very flattering tribute to Mr Bunnell's efficiency and the prcmph and accurate manner in which he transacted the Bon'd'a business. The motion was carried, it being undnrstco'] to take effect from the first of the prwent year. Mr Hi jn«tt pursuant to aotice moved that immediate representations be made through Messrs Svmes and McGuire, M's.H.R, to the Government as to the unfairness attaching to the) presgnt appointment of Government nominees to the Board; and that it be pointed out that tho country provides five-sixths of j the revenue, and is entitled to a pro,- \ fwtionata representation qf at least two fnmninees; and further, that the members ef the House of Bepresentatives referred to be requested to strongly urge that the matter be dealt with before the next date of re-appoint-mant. In support of the motion Mr Hignett said that the rates paid in t he country districts were:--Hawtra£l3o7, N. Taranaki £llsß, Stratford £lO7l, S. Taranaki £474, 0 ifton £4OB, and New F!ymouth £573. The motion was formally seconded by the Chairmsn. Mr Connett sw'd the matter was too important to ho rushed through and moinberß should stop and thresh it out. Th« G-vernment supplied the Board with a large land revenue and were entitled to be represented. It was presumption oa the Board's pirt to dictate to the Governraesfc who their nominees should be, as they had a right to put in whom they pleased, Hr. Sartcn said that if the mover had exprossrd his dissatisfaction with the present nominees, and had proposed that the Board should pass a resolution authorising him (Mr. Hignett) to rfwmttiend the members to be appointed by the Government, he might have supported the motion. Mr. McLean considered the motion did not csst the slightest reflection on the present nominees, neither did t propose to dictate to the Government whom they should elect. The object in view was to secure a larger repreon the Board for the country d'Vi'ic's from whecco the greater portion of rates were 'Sfhey were fighting fur tib.fi y/jiy principle which caused the Soukb African war. When it came to plans for a new breakwater being brought forward—ln would not mioce matters—if the money for thit work was to be obtained it would be t>at by fair mean* if possible but if not he had no doubt other means woh'd ho tried. ! Re eonside-ed Mr Sfcitidish's scheme was tnMoadin?, and that it was the duty of the4»untry members to protect themselves and save bloodshed, for as sure ns re lived if tho loin was carried for extending the breakwater no extra ra'e would bo collected in the eountyy at the paint of a gun. &tr Sari n protf sted aeainst his being set down ns a "town" man and was proceeding to refer to a paper containing that charge when he was called to order.

The Chairman referring to the plans for retarding the breakwater considered that in view of the expenditine involved in that matter it w*k Vcesaary to pass such a resolu•i '!i as that before the Hoard nrd fiv'o larger representation to the | e untry districts which were entitled to five-sixths of the memb?r.'. If that proportion was not obtained ho considered the Government mevnlrrs ought not to vote on questions aflyetinc the ratepayers. The only way ro obtain fair representation wns to af>k tho Government to nominate men from the othpr pnd of the district-. Mr. Higirtt, replied, and contendod that Hawera should supply one of tho Government nv-mbors of tho Board. Oh a Mfssrs. McLean, mhl Hignitt voted the Ayes, Pmd M.axrs.Oor.netS Cliff, Ward, ar,d Sav'oo wi'h the No*s. (Mr. R'.lfe had left <he Board.) The motion was ihorpfnro lost. Au order for stores was authorised. Accounts were passed, and the Board ros=>,