GOOD REASONS NEEDED FOR INQUIRY INTO AFFAIRS OF HARBOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, 9 November 1949, Page 4

GOOD REASONS NEEDED FOR INQUIRY INTO AFFAIRS OF HARBOUR

The opinion that a public inquiry into the affairs governing the Port of Wanganui would involve the setting up of a court equivalent to a Royal Commission, an expensive item, is contained in a letter from Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P. for Wanganui, in reply to a request from the civic committee on harbour affairs. The letter was sent by Mr. R. O. C. Marks and sought a direction as to the procedure to be followed for the holding of the inquiry. Mr. Cotterill states that it would be necessary for good reasons to be advanced in support of an inquiry or the Government would be flooded with similar requests for inquiries from other parts of the Dominion. The request, too, would have to have the support of a large section of ratepayers. In his letter, Mr. Marks stated: “The aim is to procure the services of the highest constitutional court provided by law to attend to such matters. My committee intends to apply for such a court as soon as it. knows the right means of approach.”