HARBOUR CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14015, 21 September 1909, Page 3

HARBOUR CONFERENCE.

i SUPERANNUATION THE CHATHAM ISLANDS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON. Sept. 21. The annual emit ore lire ol tho Harbouii>' AbMJciation opened tins morning. Air. 'J . Al. Wurorci, Al.i'., chmrli!an ot the Wellington Board, presided, lie haul thai important matters would come before deleft to,, including the Harbour lfcmrctb ii ill to bo iutroduced by the Minister ot -Marino. 'Ihe executive 1 committee report stated that the number ot alliliatu'd boards was now twenty-two, and that the financial btatcmeiit showed a credit balance of £78. The passage of the Harbours Consolidation Act had effected one of the objects the association was formed to promote. In the opinion of the executive the clause in the superannuation scheme providing that a united fund shall be supported by a joint and several guarantee by each of the authoriticin the combination, bars the way oi action to establish a fund, ted i! recommends that an amendment !x obtained. r The executive also recommends that tho conference should o'itain an amendment to the proposal regarding tho payment of pensions to old employees as a temporary expedient until the Act becomes operative. The conference decided lo drnw tht attention of the (jorciuuicnt to * 1111 111 * • anomalous position in winch the C'hiitJianis and othei oiitl\i.:; isl'iiid.s vi tlmt latitude shind in ifj:i(i<>u to pilotage chargeh hs defined mi tlie Act. and requesting that tli<»-e i>l<mds le brought Mithiu ll'e exfinplion clai^". GOVERNMENT NOMINEES. WELLINGTON, Sept. 21. The question of thr constitution ' harbour boards was discuawd tlie Harbours' Association Conferoiuo today. At the outset of the dist " ' n Mr.,W. J. Napier (Auckland) mv ..! that' the conference should take into consideration 'the question " of the constitution of .the boards/ and later on h? asked to liave added to his motion a recommeridation that thp Auckland Board should consist of fifteen members, two to be elected by; tlie Government and the rest by the ratepayers. Mr. Moore (Kaiapoi) moved, an amendment that tbe matter be discussed six months hence. Some delegates urged that the conference had no right to dictate to people as to the constitution of boards. Others held that the Government bad a rijiht to know the conference's opinion. The amendment, which was seconded by Frostick (Cnristehurch) was defeated. The motion by Mr. Napier that thp members of harbour boards be elected by ihe electors of local bodies 1 with representation of tlie Government on such boards by nomination, was discussed at considerable length. The Hon. Mitchelson (Auckland), in seconding the motion, said he would like to see tbe Government nominee done away with, but did not think that could be achieved now. Mr. Milligan (Oamsra) moved an amendment to strike out the words after "Bodies," thus doing away with Government representation. Mr. ,JuU (Waipawa), in seconding the amendment, declared that the Government had no more right to be repre.sented on the Harbour Board than' on county and borough, councils. The amendment to exclude Govern,ment nomination, was carried, by 17 $6, 11. The amended motion that members of .harbour* boards be elected .by -electors and local Jbodies was also, carried. . > ■ . ,- . - '