WARTIME REGULATIONS SHOULD BE REVOKED SAY HARBOUR BOARDS

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 November 1946, Page 5

WARTIME REGULATIONS SHOULD BE REVOKED SAY HARBOUR BOARDS

(P.A.) Auckland, Nov. 6. The sooner wartime emergency regulations were revoked the better it would be for the welfare of New Zealand, said Mr. W. L. Fitzherbcrt (Wellington) supporting the remit to the Habours conference that the Government should be asked to exempt all harbour boards from the Waterfron' , Industry Emergency Regulations. ' The delegate stated that the Government was usurping the functions of harbour boards. The Waterfront Control Commission had been set up in 1940 under wartime emergency regulations for the preservation of the State, said Mr. Fitzherbert. This year it had been replaced by the Waterfront Industry Commission under the same Act, with similar regulations, but with wider powers than under the Harbours Act. Boards had the power to take the duties of wharfingers and warehousekeepers while similar powers were given the commission. The boards’ franchise was the same as that of Parliament but their qperations were being overruled byi ;bhe commission set up by the Government. The commission was all right during the war but is should go out of existence now, continued Mr. Fitzherbert. Harbour boards in New Zealand had a reputation of being the best run local bodies in the Dominion and they were capable of dealing with their own affairs without the use of the commission. The conference approved the remit.