H.—lsc

6

trade, and for that reason suggested that if the trade developed to an extent necessary to warrant it, a dock or floating basin might be constructed, and his scheme provided for this in a tidal lagoon on the western side of the river. He gave as his reasons for the selection of this side of the river the cheapness of construction and convenience for future extension of the basin. 3. In order to carry out the scheme, or such part of it as was deemed necessary, the Board was by section 7 of the Act of 1884 endowed with the revenues set out in that section, as under : — Section 7. —" The Board is hereby endowed with the revenues hereinafter next mentioned, and all such revenues as they accrue from time to time shall be paid to the Board in manner as the Governor shall direct, that is to say,— " (1.) All moneys arising from the lease, occupation, or other disposal, and the rents, royalties, fees, and other moneys derivable from the pieces of land known as the Buller Coalfield Reserve and the Westport Colliery Reserve, as the same are respectively described in the Third and Fourth Schedules of the Westland and Nelson Coalfields Administration Act, 1877, less all costs and expenses of collecting the same; "(2.) All profits arising from the Westport-Ngakawau - Coalfields Railway remaining after payment of all the cost of maintenance and workingexpenses, and any claims for compensation in respect of injuries arising from accidents on the railway ; and " (3.) All wharfage and tonnage rates in the Harbour of Westport, including all charges for the use of staiths and other charges on coal brought for shipment in the said harbour, less all costs and expenses of collecting the same : " Provided that nothing in this section contained shall be deemed to give the Board any authority or control over the railway wharf at Westport, nor authorize the said Board to alter any charges or tolls leviable thereat, but the said wharf shall remain under the administration of the authority having control of the railway to which the said wharf is annexed." 4. By section 8 of the said Act the Board was authorized to borrow the sum of £500,000 on the security of its endowments, and by section 12 the sum of £500,000, and also the further sum of £145,511 12s. 6d. referred to in section 7 of the Westland and Nelson Coalfields Administration Act, 1877, were further secured by a special coal rate authorized to be struck when the sum of £250,000 had been expended in harbour-improvement works, the proceeds of which were to-be applied towards the repayment of the above-mentioned sums with interest thereon. 5. The Harbour Board consisted of seven persons, nominated by the Governor in terms of section 3 of the Westport Harbour Board Act, 1884, to hold office for the term of two years. 6. The first Board constituted under the said Act held its first meeting at Westport on the 15th day of December, 1884 ; and the Board has continued to exist thereunder until the last Wednesday in April, 1913, when the constitution of the Board was altered by the Westport Harbour Amendment Act, 1912. 7. In each successive Board the preponderance of interest of the members centred in or around the Borough of Westport, and for the most part no scheme was followed in nominating persons as members of the Board to represent the coalmining industry, the shipping trade, or the Railway Department. 8. In the year 1885 the Board borrowed in London the sum of £150,000, being a first instalment of the authorized sum of £500,000, and commenced therewith the construction of harbour-works. This sum of £150,000 was guaranteed by the Government of the colony. 9. At various times between the years 1888 and 1895, moneys were borrowed from Government Departments as required, amounting in all to £350,000, and in the latter year exhausting the existing borrowing-powers of the Board. 10. Approximately on or about the 30th September, 1889, the sum of £250,000 mentioned in section 12 of the Westport Harbour Board Act, 1884, was expended in harbour-works. 11. The Governor did not at that period fix a day and appoint a person in terms of section 12 above mentioned for the purpose of collecting the said special rate mentioned in clause 4 hereof. 12. In the years 1896, 1897, and 1900 respectively the Board was by special Acts authorized to borrow three separate sums of £50,000, each such sum being charged on the security of the endowments of the said Board, and the said sums, making £150,000 in all, were borrowed.