OFFICIALS DISMISSED.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144134, 2 July 1913, Page 3

OFFICIALS DISMISSED.

POLITICAL INFLUENCE ALLEGED.; MINISTERS 9 DENIAL. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 1. The action recently 9 taken by. Westport Harbour Board in dismissing an employee has loti to a charge being made that political influence was brought to bear in the matter. Mr. J. Colvin, member for Buller, stated to a reporter that hi his opinion Mr. C. Belts, inspector of works to the Westport Harbour Board, had been dismissed because he was a supporter of tho Opposition Party and tiiat another person had been appointed in his place oocaiise he was a supporter of the present Government. . The dismissed officials, Mr. Colvm stated, had been one of his own supporters, though ho had never been unduly prominent in politics. Mr. Belts was a highly respectable man, who bore a first-class reputation for efficiency. Mr. Colvin added that the Government, in appointing throe members- to the board to .support Mr. Munro (its present chairman) had selected outsiders, and had gone back on the practice of appointing the Mayor'of Westport and tho County Chairman, as had been done previously for 24 years. I The charge of political influence made by Mr. Colvin was mentioned to tho Hon. F. M., B. Fisher (Minister for Marine, who made the following statement on the subject: “An explanation of the statement made by Mr. Comn would simplify tho whole matter. Last year the Reform Government placed upon the Statute Book the Westport Harbour Board Bill, which for tho first time gave the people of an opportunity #of electing representatives of the people on the Harbour Board. The person returned at the top of the poll was Mr. F. Munro, who had opposed Mr. Colvin at the previous general election. The tremendous popularity of Mr. Munro, and the fact of his being placed at the top of the. poll seem to have irritated Mr. Golvm to such a degree that lie has made statements which are nothing more nor less than collections of pure' nonsense.” “Mr. Munro,” the Minister continued, “was unanimously elected chairman of the Westport Harbour Board. Soon after tho new board took office they decided that, in order to get rid of the methods which Mr. Colvin s friends had been carrying on for years past, they would give notice to every employee of the board. I understand also tiiat the board has asked the Government ,to set up an inquiry into the practice and methods of administration • carried-on by the late board, .and to this request I hare no doubt the Government will accede. The present Ministry has absolutely no say whatever in the question of the employment of labour by the • Westport Harbour Board and can exercise no more influence there than it can in the case of any other Harbour Board in New Zealand, a fact which Mr. Colvin knows perfectly well. , “However,” concluded the Minister, “since Sir. Colvin thinks that very great injustice has been 'done I would suggest to him that he keep his facts stored up until the inquiry is set up and then -he will have an opportunity of dealing with tho great injustice which he says has been done by tho Reform Party.”