HARBOUR BOUNDARIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 173, 23 July 1929, Page 6

HARBOUR BOUNDARIES

WANGANUI’S SMALL AREA BOARD DISCUSSES REVISION. The small rating area behind the Wanganui Harbour Board was a matter discussed at yesterday’s meeting of that body, raised by Mr W. S. 'Glenn. An intimation was before the Board to the effect that the Hon. W. A. Veitch would be handling the Harbour Board local Bill in the House of Representatives in reference to the proposed loan of £200,000. This prompted Mr Glenn to advance the opinion that there were many people using the Wanganui harbour who were not paying for the benefit they derived. Now might be an opportune timje', he thought, to have boundaries of the Board’s district gone into. It was a difficult matter, he said, but he felt strongly on it. He did not know the legal position, or how those who were piloting the Bill would be situated in the House'.

The chairman (Mr J. T. Hogan, M.P.) considered that it would be very difficult to get the boundaries altered at this stage. He would confer with Mr Veitch on the matter. Mr J. Morrison: la it not a fact that the boundaries were altered in the Waitotara block? If that were so he ' contended that they could be altered I now. Mr Hogan doubted if there would be time. If the Board had wanted the boundaries altered, that should have been included in the Bill. The boundaries would come up for discussion in connection with the Bill in any case. They would have to be defined, but he doubted if there would be time to have them altered. Mr P. Higginbottom said that, after the meeting with the solicitors, it was found that there were five or six days only in which to comply with legal formalities. It was a case of going ahead then or waiting until next session. All they wanted was £15,000 to £20,000 to go on with the work on the moles. The whole £200,000 was not wanted, only a small’portion of it. Air R. Farley supported Mr Glenn. It was a most vital matter he said and it would be very a helpful thing if a resolution was carried to widen the boundaries. Round about Turakina not 10 per cent, of those who used the harbour paid for it. It seemed to him that now was the time to make a stand. If what they wanted could not be got now they might get it later. Air Hogan said that they could have amended the boundaries with this Bill had that matter been included. It was too late to attempt it now« Air Donald Ross said that they could not go on altering the boundaries all the time. When Air Polson took an active interest in the harbour he had them cut down. The then chairman was to blame because he did not think that it would ever be necessary to have a rating area. “If you start altering the boundaries now you won’t get that Bill through at all. That’s what I think,” Air Ross concluded. Air Glenn added that therg was no doubt about it being an important matater and there were people outside the rated area who admitted their liability. He moved that the matter of the harbour district boundaries be left in the hands of the chairman and the Member for Wanganui (Hon. W. A. Veitch) to take what steps they consider necessary when the Bill is before the House.

“If it is pointed out that there are people in “No man’s land’ using the harbour and not paying for it, the House would stand by you, I think, on a point of fairness,” Mr Glenn concluded.

Air Higginbottom the motion, which was carried unanimously.