ELECTION OF HARBOUR BOARDS

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13484, 26 July 1907, Page 5

ELECTION OF HARBOUR BOARDS

As to direct representation of the workers on harbour boards, he thought they would agree, .that he had already done a gqod deal in that direction. There was a great difficulty in regard to making harbour boards elective For the simple reason that the boards had been large borrowers in the markets of the world. That borrowing had been carried out under the condition that there was direct representation of the Government ; and there might be opposition on that ground to the removal of that representation. Furthermore ths Government had a very big interest in the matter, and should be represented so that it could be advised of what was going on. The Government intended to continue the present system so that the public interest might be safeguarded as against the purely local interest. Ha was not going to bring down a complete Harbour Board Bill this session, as he hoped to get through the Harbour Boards Consolidation Bill. He would not deal with the question of the frauchise.