TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 5823, 29 May 1909, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

A COMPLALNT BY THE SECRETARY

At yesterday's meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board the secretary, Mr Bardsley complained bitterly of the treatment he received 'from 0110 of the members, Mr D. C. Turnbull. The Post gives the following report of tlve matter :—Ever since June, 1903, when an account woth Turnbull and Co. was in dispute. He (Mr Bardsley) had been the butt of Mr Turn bull's abuse and comtumely, and it did not matter what ho did Mr Turnbull " downed " him, Masters reached a culminating point on Saturday last, when Mr Turnbull seized him by the scuff of the neck, and would have struck him had it not been for the interference of a third person.

Mr Rolleston interrupted Mr Bardsley with a suggestion- that it was hardly in order for the Board to deal with a personal matter of this nature. Mr Bardsley asked Jeavo to continue, and said that in spite of the treatment he iiad received at Mr 'l'lirnbull's hands, he had wVitten t'o him urging upon him the facte that the position was unbecoming, and, although feeling that he was the aggrieved party, ho was prepared even then to let the past be burie,d, provided that a continuation of this animosity should be avoided. He, had taken up a humble position and approached Mr Turnbull in a friendly spirit, but his advances were declined. Personally, he did not wish to bring the matter before tbe Board at all, and lia had asked Mr Turnbull to meet him with the chairman of the Board, or same other person, or alone, but Mr Turnbull would not agree 'to this. In conclusion, Mr Bardsley said that he was distinctly insulted in the discharge of his duties as a servant, of the Board, and the position was an intolerable one, but he again offered to meet Mr Turnbull and discuss the matter amicably.

The chairman said that there was no doubt that everyone connected with tho. shipping had had a trying -time, and their nerves became highly Strung by "the, tension. However, from what Mr Bardsley had said his action in bringing the matter before the Board was justified, and ho Ijelicved that Mr Bardslev was in earnest over the matter, lie suggested that any further inquiry into the matter should lie role;a<<;d to a small committee.

Mr Rolles-ton said that it was very unbecoming to listen to wrangling oi this kind, and very unfortdna-to that a member of the Board should bo in oix-n conflict -with one of its officers. He endorsed the proposal to refer tho master to a committee.

Mr Turnbull expressed his willingness to fall in with this arrangement, and on the motion of Mr Armitage, a committee consisting of tho chairman and Messrs Orbcll and Rollcston was set up to devil with the case. The committee met after luncheon, when an amicablo settlement of the dilliciilty wtts arrived at. Tho chairman and members of tho committer sought, to pour oil on the troubled 'waters and obviate the necessity of filtering info such a painful matt-erf. with the result that Mr Turnbull met .Mr. Bardsley half way and settled the difficulty by shaking hands.