SCENE AT THE HARBOUR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13916, 29 May 1909, Page 3

SCENE AT THE HARBOUR BOARD.

THE SECRETARY ATTACKEDj(

A HAPPY ENDING. I At the meeting of the Timaru Harbour Hoard, the chairman, members, and secretary had to pass through some troubled waiters owing to a member of the Hoard, Mr Turnbull, making a .series of attacks upon the secretory. This led to an unpleasant situation, and members were heard to call for both the oil can and the ambulance, but fortunately the latter was not needed, the dispute ending in ii victory for peace, after the olive branch had been tactfully held out. Air Turnbull, first characterised as contemptible, the action of the secretary in having transferred a telephone from the house of Captain Clarkson, harbourmaster, to the house of Captain 'fait. He did not consider it right that an old servant of 25-years' standing should be. treated in such a way, when he had fallen ill. i The chairman said he understood when the matter came before liim that it was merely a private telephone from the wharf to Captain Clarksoii's house that required to be transferred to tiie house of the acting-harbourmaster. The secretary said that was the position. He had been careful not to interfere with the public telephone to Captain Clarksoii's house, but it was necessary to the expeditious working of the port that the private line should be connected with the housb of the acting-harbourmaster while ihe harbourmaster was ill.

Air Turnbull said he had understood that it was the public telephone which had been cut off. -j ■

The chairman said that M| Turnbull should make sure of his. ground before making complaint. - j., The second casus belli ooenrred at the close of the reading of the correspondence when Mr Turnbull accused the secretary of having suppressed a letter from the collector of Customs. The secretary said he had not done so as was shown by the outward correspondence, but he had not read it to the Hoard because it was a mere departmental matter. Mr Turnbull suicl that all correspondence should be before members; it was not for the secretary to say what should be read and what left unread.

The secretary then read the letter, and explained what had Oed up to it. It was in connection with ships' clearances. Air Hardslcy said that when he first came here there was no agreement, by which the Hoard could get a grip over out-going vessels in ,the event t>f their slipping out of harbour without paying tneir dues. He had therefore gone to the Hoard's solicitors and got them to draw up a proper form which must be. signed by the representatives of such' vessels before they could get their clearance to the Customs, the signing of this forii. being in the nature of air indemnity which guarded the Hoard against loss. The collector of Customs had written suggesting that this form should be done away with, and he (the secretary) had replied that it could not be dispensed with. Air Turnbull said it was a farce to have to get the clearance, and he proposed that it be done away ; with. The Union Company has never'been called upon to get a. clearance and whydid it not- apply all round if at all.

The secretary said that was a matter for the Hoard" The Hoard had never said that the- Union Company should be called upon to get a clearance and it had never been their practice to do so. The Union Company was however, on a different footing to the owners of ships which only came here occasionally. If the Board chose to exempt the vessels for which Mr Turnbull. was agent,,he (the secretary) would be very pleased, as it would save him some trouble.

Air Turnbull thought all vessels should be exempt, and he was about to propose a motion to tin's effect when other members said that the matter should not be dealt with so hurriedly, but should be held over for fuller consideration.

The chairman said that notice of motion should be given before making such a change. Air Turnbull could see no necessity for this, but as the Board would not settle the matter straight out he would give notice of motion. The secretary said that important issues were involved and it would be better if the solicitors were consulted. The chairman said that was so, and the matter was allowed to rest at that. A motion was then carried approving of the explanation by the secretary, all members voting for this except Mr Turnbull. One member remarked that he thought it would be better if Mr Turnbull did not show so much feeling.

The next trouble occurred when a letter was read from D. C. Turnbull and Co., as agents for Kinsey, Barnes and Co., complaining of the action of the- secretary in wanting to make a charge of £l9 for the temporary removal ol one vessel in harbour to make room for another during the recent rush of shipping at the port. The chairman explained that last week, when every berth was occupied and vessels were waiting outside, the steamer El=n, working mostly 8 hours by day had one berth, and Air Turnbull wished her to be moved out to let in the Langton Grange, to work all night and get away in the morning, when the Elsa could regain her berth. The secretary told AL - Turnbull that if this were done, a charge for removal must be made according to by-law. Mad he (Mr Craigie) been in town at the time he would have told Air Turnbull that under the special circumstances the Board would deal generously with him in the matter of the charges for the removal. Air Bardsley had acted according to the by-laws. Under these, circumstances Air Turnbull did not take the vessel out. Last week had been a very busy one at the port; the nerves of some who had to do with the shipping had perhaps been a little high strung, and probably things had been said which would not have been said in cooler moments. .

Members discussed the question whether tho secretary should have "stretched" the by-law. Messrs Thew and Young thought he should: the chairman and Messrs Orbell, Skinner, and Bollcston thought not; if any •'stretching" of a by-law was to be done it should he done by the Board. Mr Orbell suggested that the charge should have been paid and an application made for a refund, and Mr Young adonted this view. Finally it was agreed that while the bv-lnws'should not be interfered with, future emergencies should be dealt wrh on their merits. Mr Bardslev here rose and said that lie had a matter of some seriousness to bring before the Board in connection with" Mr TurnbulPs action over this sa"ie ship. Tt was decided to finish the o'dinnrv business of the Board first, and to hear Mr Bardslev afterwards. On the .-'nbiect being resumed, Mr Bardslev said that for a long time past be had been nlaced in a very awkward nn.sition hv Mr Tnrnbnll. Six members of the present Board bid not vit with him before, but members of Hip old Board would support what he said in this respect. Members had had some evidence that day of the treatmeet to which he hod been subjected, find he was petting «iek of it. His intFrpsts -,vsra ail in Timaru. lie 7/as do-

ing his best in the interests of the port, but no matter what he did lie was -downed" by Mr Tprnbull The trouble dated back to June WO3, and ■arose in connection with an account for a shin in which Mr Turnbull.. was interested". Ever since that time he had been the butt for Mr Turnbull s abuse and contumely. Matters came to a culminating point on Saturday Inst, when Mr Turnbull'had pot him l)v the scruff of the neck and would have hit him hut for the interference of a third party. He had written to Mr Turnbull pointing out how unbecoming were the relations which cxistnrl and stating that although !ip felt that he (Mr Bardsley: was the aggrieved person, he would be prepared even now to let the past be buried, provided a continuance of this animosity could be avoided. He had taken the humble position in the matter and had approached Mr Turnbull, who. however, declined to bury the hatchet. Mr Bardsley said he had tried to avoid bothering the Board with the matter, but it was obvious that things could not go on as they were, and he had no option but to place the whole matter before the Board. It was a most untoward insult that he had received on Saturday last from Mr Turnbull when an attempt was made to assault him and he could do nothing now but claim the protection nf the Board, as the attempted assault had taken place while he had been engaged in the discarge of his duties as an officer of the Board. The chairman tried to pour oil oyer the waters at the same time stating that Mi- Bardsley had been perfectly justified in insisting upon adherence to the Boards by-laws over which it appearde the trouble had arisen. He suggested that a committee be set up toTnvestigate ' the matter after lunch' that day. Mr Turnbull said he would be pleased to go into the matter .with the committee. Mr Rolleston said it would bo very unbecoming of the Board to sit there as a Board and listen to a personal grievance being threshed out between a member of the Board and the secretary. They did not want to hear the wrangling.' Looked at from any point of view the position was ,an unfortunate one. Mr Turnbull rose to reply to Mr Bardsley but the chairman asked him not to reply rntil after lunch. Mr Armitage then moved and it was carried that the secretary and Mr Turnbull should meet a committee consisting of the chairman and Messrs RoU«stmi and Orbcll, after lunch. The parties met at the Harbour Office at. 2 o'clock and briefly discussed matters "in committee." The reporters were afterwards given to understand by the chairm-m that the final scene wns nn amicable one. Mr Turnbull and Mr Bardsley shading hands and flfrreeinnr to let past happenings sink into oblivion.