HARBOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 183, 28 April 1908, Page 8

HARBOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION.

THE NEW\BILL. CHAMBERS OF. COMMERCE LEFT OUT. A PROTEST. It is a weakness; of the day to be continually altering something/ - and' effecting changes ill the conditions, under; which'insti.tutioMs," have grown' • aiid ; :;prosperedj'' .entirely without, any definite cortainty that good will result.' A- new Harbours; Act was circulated last session';'but owing l to pressure, of !other business :>was not''submitted to the' Housei. This Bill omits ;to &ive'' Chambers' of: Commorce pny.representation on Harbour Boards, when it., is patent : that.- if any. corporations are entitled *to 'representation oh 'such'bbdies they..,are !the' Chambers-of .Commerce; •: the membership of which is, made up .almost solely' of., those; interested in-, either import 'or. .export trade of the-.Dominion: . . The local Chamber, • of Commerce hao, through, its..secretary: (Mr. : .Si 'Carroll), forwardod, tho following letter to .the 'Minister for.'Marine':— ' .v ... , ..'''"April :22,. 1908. -.- v'Sir,—-The attention of;tho Chambers' of,, ' Cpmmcrco ,of^t-he ; poniinion, .: been drawn,. to ■ a >,Bill, -which. was;, circulated : -last .session under thc.titlo of the' "Har- . bours Act, 1907," and 'which,- there 'is ■. reison. to, believe/ will again bo' brought', - 'forward/in flip'session, of this year. - It"' is iioticcd that in-t-he, provision for the constitution of Harbour Beards made, by \ . this- Bill'no. representation 1 is allotted- to • .Cliambars'.of ' My Chamber ' desiresirospcptfully to- submit that -such •" ;an''arrangement -would amount to;.a .very. - gravo mistake. ' ' , . "The;tr'ade.of' the Dominion-with the . ; outside', world.is. a .factor, of. great', .rao-v-'-nient in the promotion of 'the prosperity-■-andVwell-b'oing. of tho community,'; and it' is, therefore,-of the first importance that the Harbour Boards, which exercise .a ■ large 'measure; of' control over .the ar- > rangements under" which.'this trade;is. . carried , oil, should contain '.at. !least !a. strong ;;el6ment_ of mercantile experierioe and skill. While it is right 4 and proper that the interests of producers and con- . sumers" should', have tair representation on such bodies,: it is still more important that .they 'should "include anefficient: ; proportion, of. men of good judgment; , ability, and experience in ■ commerce, shipping, and finance. .Under a sys'tem - : wheily elective there is lio assurance,that such men would obtain,'seats on. tho Boards;-in. fact it is by lio means improbnblo that Boards might bp olected ,of members entirely '; unskilled, -inexperienced, and devoid of knowledge in theso - rcspects. Tho proceedings of such a body might result m disastrous consequenoes to, possibly, the most important porta of -tho Dominion. ; . "My Chamber is strongly.of opinion.that means-should be adopted to secure the election of a fair quota of suitable men, . and- that nomination by Chambers"of - Commorco is bettor calculated to attain this object than any other plan which is - likely, to bo adopted. That, in' fact,"instead of ; .curtailing ' the privileges now • : enjoyed, it would-be to tho advantage of the Dominion that tho'proportion of. members so elected should, be-increased, ■ especially in the case of Boards that .do ' ; not possess, rating - powers, ; but • obtain' thojr inoomo entirely, as paymont for sor- .- vjces rendered, and, -1 may add; these '. . viows aro concurred in by air tho moro . .important ;Chambers of Commerce of tho ' Dominion.. , "1 have the honour to bo, sir, • "Your obedient servant, "S. CARROLL; "Secretary, "Tho Hon. Minister; for Marino, ' ; vv nllinctoi."-.' . ; .