THAMES HARBOUR BOARD

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19851, 31 October 1936, Page 3

THAMES HARBOUR BOARD

THE LAST MEETING. Eve 01 Diamond Jubilee. SIXTY YEARS OF SERVICE. HANDING OVER TO BOROUGH.

From to-morrow, the Thames Harbour Board, which has been in existence for 60 years, will- cqase ,to bo and the administration of its-affairs will be undertaken by the Thames Borough Council. This move has been brought about by the passing on Thursday of the , •Tb.ames Harbour Board Abolition Bill, the outcome of representations by sections of the ratepayers over a lengthy period, culminating in the decision made . during the visit to (Thames of the .Minister for Interna] Affairs, Mr. W. E. Parry, some months ago, when the Thames Harbour Board and the Thames Borough Council, in conference, agreed to the passage of legislation enacting a merger of control of the former in the latter.

The amalgamation will be the first to take place between local bodies since the Government took office and expressed the intention of bringing down a Bill dealing with local body control, and is indeed a milestone in the history of local government, not only in Thames, but in the Dominion.

Negotiations for the amalgamation of these bodies have been carried on for three or more years, by members of the two bodies and their respective sets of bondholders, and now that the day has come for one body to retire, the future of Thames harbour affairs will be watched with more than passing interest by local bodies throughout New Zealand.

It was unique that the last meeting of the Board, last night, should haVfi been'held on the night marking the completion of "60 years' service, or, in other words, on the eve of the Board's diamond jubilee. The first Act of Parliament constituting the Board is dated October 31, 1876. Prior to 1876.. wharves were in use at Thames, but it appears from the records that they were under a .form of private control. Information, on the early history of harbour affairs locally is sparse, due to the,whereabouts. ,cf records, if they are-; ; stili : in. existence, .... not being known, at present, as wilhbe seen by the history of membership .of'..t.ho Board, published elsewhere, in this issue.