HARBOUR AFFAIRS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14341, 10 July 1914, Page 5

HARBOUR AFFAIRS.

IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS PROPOSED. PAYMENT OF MEMBERS AND ELECTION COSTS. CONTROL OF FORESHORES AND BATHERS. (By Telegraph.—Special to Heuapb.) WELLINGTON, July 9. • The Harbours Amendment Bill circulated to-day contains some important alterations as to existing law. Among other proposals it provides for a deposit of Ah by a candidate at any harbour board election, to be forfeited to the harbour fund upon failure to poll one eighth of the votes polled by the successful candidate polling the fewest votes. Another radical change in the introduction of the principle of payment to members, Under the new Bill a special allowance of one guinea per member for each day’s attendance may be agreed upon by resolution cf a board in addition to the existing payment of travelling expenses.

A small alteration is made in the method by which payers of dues exorcise their vote, while ship owners with voting powers are restricted to owners of British ships registered.

An important clause relates to the costs of elections. It reads as follows: “Provided that whore an election under this Act is held simultaneusly with any election of the members of a local authority as aforesaid, the harbour board shall not be required to pay. In respect to the cost of the election a sum in excess of the actual cost cf advertising with the harbour board (exclusive of the cost of printing the roll), together with an additional amount equal to ten per cent, of the actual expenses incurred by the local

authority in conducting its own and the harbour board elections, exclusive of the cost of advertising and printing.” An entirely new provision deals with foreshore control. The Hill sets out that (1) where the foreshore (whet’.'ier within the limits of a. harbour or not) is not vested in any harbour board of other local authority the Government may, by Order in Council, grant for a period not exceeding twenty-one years, the control of such part or parts thereof ns he thinks fit to'any local authority, domain board, or persons acting as trustees for the inhabitants of the, locality upon such conditions as may bo prescribed in the order.

The local authority may make by-laws for the preservation and control of the foreshore, erect baths and bath-houses, and fix charges for their use, while the Governor in Council may authorise any local body baying a foreshore to make bylaws for proper conduct of bathers or delegate its rights to any surf bathing club, providing they arc approved by the Minister.