"AS YOU WERE."

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15194, 14 April 1917, Page 6

"AS YOU WERE."

HARBOUR BOARD'S TIME WASTED. STOP WORK PROPOSALS AGAIN. SHOULD THE PUBLIC DECIDE? Should the public of Wanganui take a hand and decide whether the Wanganui harbour improvement works should go on or be stopped? That is practically what the question has come to. For "months past the Board has been discussing this proposal, and still the position is no further ahead. Tho whole matteT has been settled once tor a time at least, by a resolution which was passed authorising'""the Board to go on for a space to see how the work progressed. Subsequently larger wages were offered to induce suitable men to applv for work, and this seems to have had satisfactory results. Then Mr Polson endeavoured to open up the whole question again, but failed on that particular occasion. Last night he was successful, and the Board, practically speaking, wasted over two hours in discussing his notice of motion. The result was that an amendment was moved and carried, but when it became the substantive motion it was defeated, and the Board was in the same position as it was hefbre the discussion commenced. Incidentally 't might be mentioned that Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P.. endeavoured to have the matter settled by the public bv raising a point of order to the effect that the motion was not in order, and a warm discussion followed on the rules of debate, etc. He was unsuccessful iu his efforts, however, and the discussion went on till a very late hour.

The matter was brought before the Board by Mr Poison moving tbe following notice of motion: "That the previous resolution of the Board dealing with the harbour improvement works be rescinded with the object of substituting the following:—That with the exception of urgent necessary maintenance the harbour improvement works be suspended until such time as a dredge is available ; that the staff be reduced in accordance with the above, and that the chairman and engineer re-' port to the Board at the earliest moment in what direction these reductions should be made.

Mr Poison hoped the Board would deal seriously with the motion. The Board did not realise the shortage of labour existing at the present time, and it had not given the care and attention to the matter it should have done. He thought the Board should give a lead in matters of this kind at the present time. The best of the men. and naturally the youngest, had gone to the war, and the Board had to use other men not so suitable and pay them more wages. The time was not opportune to do this, as tho work was not urgent. The world's, shipping was decreasing, not increasing, and now the large, shipping companies vere concentrating their Home liners at large ports and the smaller coastal boats were working the coastal ports. There was less likelihood of Wanganui being used for the. despatch of ocean-going steamers. The work inside the river could not be gone on with without a dredge. He did not propose to shut down altogether, because the present depth had to be maintained. Touching on the question of finance Mr Poison said that when the money they had in haiffl had been expended lie was sure Parliament would not authorise another loan.

Mr Veitch : I rise to a point of order. Mr Poison has not stated what motion he wishes to rescind. Continuing, the speaker contended that he was snre other members wore in the same position as himself. Mr Poison had mentioned a "previous" motion, but members did not know to which "previous" motion he had referred- There were many "previous" motions" on the minutes dealing with the question. Mr Poison objected to Mr Veitch's point of order, and said that members were well aware of the motion to which he referred.

The chairman (Mr Murray)* I think Mr Poison is in order.

Mr Veitch: I submit, Sir, that if the motion does not conform to the standing order, then the Board has no IcK'il right to discuss it. Even the date of the previous resolution is not given, and until Mr Poison gives proper notice of motion and specifies distinctly what resolution he proposes to rescind the Board cannot discuss it. Mr Bassett: Is there room for doubt ? Mr Veitch: Yes. Much of it, and room for much argument too. Mr Poison: Oh, well, to settle the matter I will ask leave to cut out the first part of my motion referring to the "previous" motion and leave the remainder.

Mr Bassett proposed, and Mr Bruce seconded, that leave be granted to do this.

At this stage it was pointed out that the Board had to unanimously agree to this course being adopted. Mr Veitch : I object. The Board must be unanimous, and I rise to a point of order.

Mr Bruce: Well, record your prote-t to let us get on. Mr Mackay: Oh, no, Mr Chairman. You can't go on like that. Mr Williams supported Mr Veitch.

Mr Bassett objected to what he termed a trivial matter interfering with an important matter like the one under review.

Mr Veitch: I must protest against Mr 15a sett's remarks. Continuing, the .-; eaker again stressed the constitutional rights of the Board to discuss the motion. He said he had not said anything disiespeetful to members of the Board (Voices, "No, no.") —and he hoped they would be respectful to him. (Hear, hear.) Mr Po'eon then explained how he came to frame his motion, and mentioned that as Mr Veitch had disagreed with it the latter was using all hit? powers against it Mr Veitch: To tell the truth, I'm sparring for a month's time, so that a p'lb'ic meeting can be called to consider the question before it can be brought forward by Mr Poison. Seeing that the Board has been re-elected, it is not a fair thing to the public for the Board to go on with the motion before the latter have a fair chance to discuss it.

A Member: Oh, go on! You're electioneering. Mr Veitch: Oh, no, I'm not. I have other ways open to me to do that. He was proceeding to state his opinions when

Mr Poison rose to a point of order, saying that Mr Veitch was making a speech, and he asked the chairman to

keep him to the question at issue. "I have asked leave to delete the offending portion of my motion —the part that hurts Mr Veitch," he added. The Chairman: It's no \ise waiting time. 1 rule that Mr Pokon should go on. Mr Yeitch: What with? The Chairman : The latter part of his motion. Mr Bassett, speaking to the resolution, said he regretted the Board had reached the crisis they had. Would the Board be justified in the eyes of the ratepayers by going ahead with the work? Was the Board justified in spending the money on the operations at the present time? If the dredge were here she would be lying idle. He also instanced the Kailway Department cutting down the trains, etc., and held that as an argument that the Board should close down. He contended tha.t the Board should allow men away to the war. Mr Veitch said that no matter which way the voting went he was determined to bring the matter before the public. Mr Bassett had made an eloquent appeal on behalf of the Efficiency Board, but why should not private business men close down their businesses and let men away to the war? Mr Bassett: I have had to do that already. Continuing, Mr Veitch said Pafcea, New Plymouth, and other Boards were going on with their works, and these, he held, were national works. He was sure that had the people been taken int« the Board's confidence and told that this matter was going to be brought up again and carried, as he thought it was going to be, the same Board would not have been re-elected unopposed. In carrying and adopting the pessimistic, retrograde resolution of Mr Poison's tho Board waft doing an injury, and they were going to allow harbours, which were going to compete with Wanganui, to progress while this port stood still. He was certain the people of Wanganui did not re-elect the members of the Beard to close down the works. He felt that by doing so the Board was going to make the weakest decision in its hi.-tory. He was convinced the publie did not know the position, and ho was sorrv that all the members of the Board had not been thrown out. "As soon as our job is assured for another two years we go and make this resolution," he said in conclusion. Mr Williams said that Mr Poison had mentioned that the loss to the Board per year, if they closed down, would be £IO,OOO. He then went on to quote finance with the object of showing what the Board would save by carrying on. It had not been shown to him why the Board should be the first to take this action on account of the war. They would be in a worse position than ever by tying up the works and allowing the water to decrease on the bar. When they came to make a start again the public would say, what's the use of going on after all the previous work had been wasted? New Plymouth had not stopped vet. The first ocean liner had been berthed there recently, and more visits had been promised. If, as suggested, the plant should be tied up for three years it would take more money than it was worth to get it ready again. Mr Bignell had not changed his opinion that the Board should close down. If the electors had not wanted the members back again they would not hav« been re-elected unopposed.

A Member: The Board had not decided to again discuss the question *ot closing down then. Mr Bignell, continuing, said that in his opinion the cost of laying the plant up would not be much. In regard to other porte, such as Patea and New Plymouth, he was of the opinion that ther« was nothing much to be frightened of. The Board should wait till the dredge was available. Tbe port had obtained all it wanted as far as coastal shipping was concerned.

Mr Mackay was of the opinion that the work should go on till it had to Ix 3 stopped. He referred to the shortage of labour, and said that this was tho greatest difficulty. The Efficiency Board should allot labour for industries. He would move the following amendment: "Before any change in the Board's policy be made the Board endeavour to ascertain from the Efficiency Board what is the prospect of labour being available for this particular

work, or any scheme for organising the man-power of the Dominion." Till the Board knew what stand the Efficiency .Board was going to take it was hard to know what to do in the matter, he continued. They should Iks able to find out in six months at least.

Mr Murray, the chairman, in seconding Mr Mackay's resolution, saw the disabilities of closing down. Mr Bignell had made light of it, but it was a serious matter. The expenses in keeping up a maintenance staff would be great. He advocated waiting a little time before closing down. There had been some improvement during the month, since a larger number of men had been employed at the quarry. He would not support the motion. Mr Bruce was prepared to support Mr Poison. The crux of the position was the dredge. He was as keen' as any member to see the harbour progress, but the dredge was wanted. Mr Morrison was going to support Mr Pol.-on before Mr Mackay moved his amendment. The latter's proposition would give the Board a little more time to see what the position would be as far a 6 the war was concerned.

In reply, Mr Poison said he thought that the matter would be discussed on the eve of the election, and then the people would be able to judge. To his mind nothing had been said that would bring the dredge one hour nearer. He did not want to see the works stopped, but surely the great question was to win the war, and every man employed by the Board was unnecessarily prolonging the war. On being put, the amendment was carried by five votes to four, the voting being: For Mackay, Murray, Williams, Veitch, Morrison.

Against Bassett, Poison, Bruce, Bignell. When the amendment was put as the substantative motion it was lost by six votes to three, and it was thus killed, and the Board remained "As you were."

It is understood that the motion will be brought up again at the next monthly meeting of the Board.