FACING THE POSITION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 727, 28 January 1910, Page 9

FACING THE POSITION.

3, 7~* HARBOUR WORKS AND FINANCE. / - .< REVIEW DY THE CHAIRMAN. V I 1 THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND HIE . Tho; chairman • (Mr. T; , Mi,; Wilford). 11-^omnienHhg/{bifK tlie annual j report and ; Btatement/bf > 'nccbuiits; r jSp''v- iiig /'bfi'tlieHarbour,' Doard,"remarked-that [thaiiasfcOTraaqn* :ft:/^/pf;3i^^sin^'tKb^x)osition/tfbm/Ws^^e;; teSQ-^tuni^bf^wibg^binetbitg^ptfthb;,^ 1% Sf/twb.iyenrs';'TOrk/arid;; i tKe;'.fufee..:p'()M^of;. '!H-'sC'be/VKiard';i i -Ho/thb.Ug& fl'/ylast: two; years :xaiision;.;.';:Mr./Wilf ord'/xiroceeded/to.dis;i;/:;:J,cuss:thb'/'4ii&tibn>'pf.:MMts^ .' ' When, lie'assumed ofiico iii'fl'ebr uaiTr,'i9Qß,; ' ?! /?ithbiaK^!ira ! b,pßoß,M^ ; ;.::fcr/to^ledi®,b3!),|B3^^'an'/increaseii'bf; JZViQ,-;:. : 'f/;■/in v two^ 1 'jy ears; ft/The'iihcrcasb;'repre : , ' p^:amountin§; ; -^b;Vil24;ooo.:':/'The;-;;;balance; 1 J frbm'/sifflag-jf.u'nd;-; -ph .'ithb. other hand; 5-?-;:/the- liabilities'-'bn i , Sept'e'mKer/30,- 10O7,: were.: /:"//■ temtwr/36,;iu09, totalled /j;G35,910, -an:- iu- |:' /- -creaso nmount- :/-'/,: tW-i,increased^ '/' .: tions/incuri-ed' 'through/,the ;sale/of '-.: dev. W&assets re- ,' ,/ /presentM-.a' -'A' sound finaiicbvhad'vbeen observed;/for.///;:v;:the.;bUßnca;(bf;! ]ffiS Sepfember/;,30ifr191)9,/,':amounted'-.to -more .io.y-.than a-thkd of a million-pounds. •«»» >&, i , Need for Revaluation. •.'.' lir. Gilford' attentibn-, to the. ad- > //' Tisableness/of/' a-/TCvalnation /of /the 'i-eal; ..' /. /since-. 1902 l '/exccpting i /in-;tho ;/ //case-;of 'tho/Loanrand-/-Mercantilo , pro"rarty; 'S'herer^hbngH'no'revaluation'.'had- - Been niade'of the land/itself, a: revolua- ;•/ ,- /tion' had 'been' made of tho/'anhual . rental fi/'-^alue/'withi^a'i-'result/tliatf:^ /;-: t :num -had/beeh^fixed;as''a;fair/rehbil j j 3Cho; ?i::iJ®Mt^lbtoher:/TbatU^:i>nlfione/;;:3j.!/v/ ,-.Contintiing,':Mr./ Wilford said the com-; ;'./.pletion/of. tho/Waterloo -.Quay rcclama-, tion /would-give/the--board .-an.:; asset S- ; ;S i 's ; ''^rb; : /; / /tMs,-::a's/:they/inust -tako - into ;account' / •..'necessary^.expenditure./on .-'roading aiid '-//'/Eea-walls.--/';: Lastycar'.tho/board /paid/on; of / lban: imbieysf-eipended;' and - / by; way-'of;interest; -/this ;being a- first' S/v? bbii|atibii;' : 'bn Sffib /yearly irev®nußv- : 6f; ;S i the/ b&Srd/ ; placedv '/ on ono "side,- : Xi9OO. as. -an addition to //.'-EinkingHunds.' '-;Thiis/practically;'c£32,oQo. ''',:;-:';liad;been-brbvid©d''for/-interMt;;alo'ne.Viih7 :, 3ports ifen;vfr6m5 i 'iSs ) oß4;2Blf. iri,i-/1907-83--to;. : . V ;r£<;ldecrease . of 080,339,-, ".'. whilst/ tlie' exports' rose,froiii.>£2,B72,o63 in - / 1207-8, 'to : : 'j(a>J2,B7l; ;--an'. incrsaso . of Wool Export. ||I^#;B;Sas/aSmattef!'f^ board;/mightiitakMsonib credit; fori'ihat ■- thei/wppl,; received f 6r.?cx T : '/' /■ -port from Wellington . .'for' -the three; / : ,/■ months;chdol/D€ceruber/3i/shov.'cd-aii-in/, ;v. S3 creasßl : bf Sbvei./ 25:;. per iifeefit;; ■ • wheii /com/' /■///.year's/coiTcsponding/quarter./v'lt/would; /balesSwouli; finditheir: '-;.'/way'thrbugh';-'the-'boafd , S',-hands.-/--;';'Tlie, ; /'-/// the 'pbrtifqr/jjwopl -cxhibi- ' tibn,, mld;,'and/export accounted] forHlw , /;;: increase;-/^After/takihg^-thd/opinion/of •• .•; foreigh buyers,' be'would-venture to ,as- :/: eert '.with ' coiidence'/that- beforo',- long, : ;i : ;-VS-OTthJthb'fehed , /bo , ni^leted;'-; l i^ • ter'-, facilities/'for 'shipihenf./woolgrowcrs -vvpttld select • Wellington, ' as":,a . central .''/,; epot'for/cxhibitioni: sale./and'shipment./J- thegexprtditiire;; of: the/'iiear " f utuio a /btitsid6;' of ■; commit- ■ //viding increased fabilities inrand;around, :/: :;Lambtonv Harbour / for '-this/effectivb; and /,C^'^ndihicM' : -handUnt\6firo«^.V»ffl^YsSß : " '' -gestioh. was. m ado, with a view; to' iinprov;iri'g ;thb;existing/cpnditibn;:bf:. affair's,'and: /:•;• reueyihg;/OTngMtibn;-;- pnerjof/theliest/'in-'/ , / vestments/ ever/ by the' port, , said. ' : ? filr;-''i'Wilford; : ;.was : ibb /dredge' Whakariri. '■- : ■■• , .|TlticjS"¥tiD-'?/t123 5? bAibbur.. '^iV?:"slFalc6n?Sho^i^mdd'?a ; r!6liariMl--12(>0f.t.. 5^, wida' '£ : /Kandi^fti ) deep;at4bw;tide;/':;it:the3nd:;bf ,'/;//the:fpreMnt;'yeaiSthe:;chambl ; .-wpuld//bb -,A^pleto^lirhieb.n^nld.V ; snabl4 : /or/: ipsupeiy S/j;/night; . •/,'/$ work ■'.dbn'e'by/t he/.men:-iii-;iho/ei|iplb^-/of; / the-'beard, : and tie' success of tlie. Morse ./vJZ/'wgual;,;^ / / /,/to /irge/ that; it .would /be', -woll:/ for /'the /: question, oi/.storajo for dairy 'produce, ■ ;///eitc;;^b/be^'ke^i;ih ; ;Sigbty4 , that -A : -.>yheri; ; '';i;,;P r oßramme -"Was;;^cpmpleted,^'i-andf the;, land on'V'.whicli '■ i^^Vbat'>J&p«rt' : ':C^iiliMidy > s'' vv;.-/./; premises;;were'*situated.:was/resumed,./th'ev; .' necessity/ would be a ..very, reall-.oiie.'' It '•'/' /;/ Bot;be"f6rg6tten;'. Now office acconimoSaf ifii and"would j-havoVvtb. .be/iindortakeu^/^irhbri-'.thb ; ;;/;;;pleted;/.- Good / and / effective/ work' could not ' be/' expected - under ' present conditions;. ,ft;'/[:;In-,-:the '.Tmeantimel' / ;:/\ might;-be:;.iiiode.'/ lieferring-- to 'depreciay;.rv;''tibnri.tKe'/eh''airm*ail 1 - renmrked-i/;.;/"ciation'/^asi;calculated';bh;-a' , diffefential' baving/T.egard ./to - tho] nature :of the .;• asset,':, viz;,, wharves, - / cranes, 1 :', concrete;: ig/T-wpod,'/ or/. bHck 7 WprkiV;STbe;" > new;-'; board / would/'haTe] to- find' revenue v^s.*9.'' n « .extra'-'standirig; Which: '"/;; ; '.;*'oi l ld v - accrue l^ /byi tho,/end - : of-the "current: /sftf/yea- W; ' New Works. '- : • The , : conimitnieiits ._ ;. scheduled; by /the; engineer,. were general, '/ : :/;;-fand;..wp^dvre4uire;:/to : iiig of, :!wt;new;.works,to'i'beT'bbh- .-, Btruc'ted dtiring the next - two, and '-a'' half • :. -/.-, years./; To iind . .thiK- extra Zrevcriuo :;ih- '*■(>>■ chargesiin ;certain/tlirec£ipns; must ~.;bo.levicd. --Kealising - tfVo.'. coiidi tionaper- . - . - New. 2ca!and,: tlie : lDoard had■ ,/. - .refrained, from borrowing - last'year,' and *£: -;| 1(! ;.W ll 6Zspeaker) ithought: this was a wise :/"/'.;vi-P°lipy</-- iij.i'-regard.-.to- the.; necessary -ini ?;/-creases;;Sit/must/bc. remeMer'ed i'thaV'at' ' present; importers and : exporters . oh; tho -;,- /-';: one.-hand,/anil /ship-owners." oh .the",other, / propor- .. v:;/-/ tions. It /would , bo.. ,th'e duty oi! tho now bbard,/tb '/decide '/on.- its policy, so-as to' "*^:V-rV^uitiilbleV;bo4sis/-:v:Therb-/fwais- ; Btiir'--'rooih" jf; r ;for ari;/i£icreaso /in.' cestain/ directions; Knd >' .'/' at tlib.-/same "time.yto...maintain .the ; • position.'-' of. ..tho .port as/.thecheapest : ■"^. ; ://distt:ibu tiiig.vcentre. in"New..^}Zealahd;;.The questiote.'of'./how/ptHefmpney ; / the/new/'board; "/If;it,Could r be:- raised .;ldcally v 'by/ ; th"e;sale/'bf :bver ; th'e-'. counter; debentures at 4J 'per cent/;'"he,-;^;/-";;.'-'ecohomical;'.Vmelflbd/-for; : --itho/-y'J)'oard}\'to; :;/:/'; adopt.';/i/ ./f;/';;;/;/'i/-:;:'/:;:/^:-/ ' In conclusion Mr./ Wilford .extended ; his* warm thanks to': members of ./.tho ;/ board;.for;t.lio/loynl 'assistance'-'giTeiiTdur-ing thb/ycar. - - . : Z /,/; Adverse Grtilcism. ' Mr; E.l'letcher remarked that al- - trade had /fallen .away, , tho ex- <■•!. /penditureyhad-: kept up;. / He';-;.wa's -:of jpiiiion that when cargo-de'ereawd it,was, - / /anly-reasonable/to/expect that',-tho- cost f.' of ha;ridlingvwbuld'.be. -less; l''// : .-'Bhoiirn';' inl;tho//balanc^«6t.'' ; ;;'He :■ agreed '/: ' witli : the chairman as to-the excellenco' of. : the /wbrk./done/by tho Whakariri.'- It Was the oiily. really good. work .done by '- the board- duririg/thio. yefcr/. /ZCbelmnddlo.-' tho board found itself, in;;-however,-/was not due-to. this, or to tho last board, but was a: legacy extending ;somD/-jears..l)ack.': / '-Looking - over the.,.:harbbur ,/AVorks..-' one' first saw the -.Petone Wharf—a : work' - /. which -liad-'been- 1 beginning: "'to: end^ K Then--therc/v,was-: thP/:King's- .' - Wharf. - if/this/had -becn/bnilt -'on-busi-ncssliko' dines' there-; wbiUd;'be,;no sily for, the. board to provide further- ,', , accommodation for many years, to come;At presMit ; : : tlie;:wharf . useless iind -Then :eainb;-.tlib/Clyde' Qiiay;. - %jmrf/'',!lt/'mide';one!-fmv^ryl-^ii!'.to-mention':tliis'::rind- ho .was:' sure'-n'o >.one ; ' 1 - in Wellington could,toll;why ,it.had- been • ' bailt,; Some ha/l .been expended

on' a , structure-which was / going to -bo. absolutely Then again . tliero ' was' ' the; boat ; harbour; 'on -which i. riioney had boon.simply wasted and thrown into the. harbour. 1 ;' . Another: work, was /the llininai'-;. contract. ,Ho thought. it:; was a pity :tlio .-Board; ever , had anything to; do .with this. -' If one /inentioned-thb dock, anywhere in .Wellington it was bated, breath. ."Somo .10 or •12 years ~ ago . . 'tho. board had • sent an engineer : Home, : . through America and-,tho Continent ,to. Learn 1 :how. to..build ajdpelci" said': Mr. Fletcher, who ..went :on ;to .dohimiut. : strongly ■on 'this. ! work.' ■ /The AVcUington ; Harbour, vjwhich -nature ; intended .Should. be: almost /free.-as far .as charges/were- concerned, Was going on'- iii - would; make: it tho dearest, harbour,; south" of/tho Line./'-The financial ■position- was; not nearly/asvflo.urishingds; /the'/chairman . thought, /and 1 it;:.was all. owing to the .wanton expenditure in the '.past; board 'had- been elected by -the people he.did not.think the misdeeds, of' the past would have occurred. The sooner, tho'- people elected .the board the; :better;;; for'/all ./concerned; • Tho - present coiiAiitutioii was a/,la'ughiiig-stcck to- all. w~ho knew, anything:about it./- As'to tho lighting of t}io wharves, it had been absolutely disgraceful, but now a step' in- tho: right direction had been mads, in deciding :on : i:the';iadopting. ;of their, (own lighting.: iThe ' one;. healthy ; thing v'i'n , the/balance-: -fund; ■ which/w-as'-steadily.-increafiing.v Tho office accommodation .was a disgrace, and ■he;';thought7^t'hb ,: sooner■ :the^ : board. its 'employees better and■ 'conditions . the better for all.', concerned.; . .{'.Extravagance of tho-Deepest Dye.":!: Dr./Newinan agreed;^with; Mr, Pletoher. -ThV/mbroXhe/saw-'Of- the board/ tho -'more .lie.i Was/horrified /with the 'position'.../The board- was' saddled/with': extravagance/of' dyejv 'hnd i .the ; life-blood"':ofi I /! being.. destroyed. '/Dr. 1 1 :Ne'v,-man v-enton : torcfer to the wharf :at-f, Petone/and wjiat ; he .termed , thoVmore:extravagajit.cx-, .p'enditnre at; MiraDiar;-. .They JiidVto'faco;' toput.on ' extra - taxation, the resulfc-of ltlliohf/would'.bo "that: trade./would-be; driven/away/from/ Wellington.// I Tho .nseles3;/eipeniiihiro; oiu ! the:, dock, '^'plr/ap^ling.M ; think'the maiiagenient :of the.bbatd/was as ccor.omical as it-should be. From.a/btisiness point/ W/viewv-there/were;.'too/many, headsof.de-: partmerits./What/hewould suggest slionld: 'b^donolwas/tb:appoint /the bnpneeivtMri; l Mnrehbanks)/as. general 'manager. for the / whplo/-concern,/so that lie l might.boss/the; : wholbYshpw, -'and: look. into . everything'.//A ? big , like-' the;"-Harbour . Board ''Bhpnl3il^:tihdef-bii , B;head';|' !r ianjtfliinp but', .sati^abtqry,■ '.and ■■'when-: met-: he / thought -'- a'/ finance'; //committee - ! should/go .into", the_Tvhole.;question;' ."Ho ; trusted,.: that; the; new,, board -. wwildJ, face [the; ! position;.and'seS' .if it.'cbuld.nbt/lessen Some of the evils. J/ 1 / "Too, Much Log-rolling." . /; Mr.;C, : E.- Danieli- I Mid- felt: that/the'! administrative/officers of./tho./board': lad not the backing from some members of; the |board' that they had a right 'to ex- ■ ■pect. I/Some of the/ heads had/said that; the'then feol that there is. a po\Yer .be-hind-them, which feeling-made thoposi-. ' , him , that 'it was: nauso'holding. on to his position further.. • Mr; Danieli went ,oii M;,iefei/ : at,length; tb : the treatment of officers/of the board. ...If tho /board was to/succebd 'it/-must/have s tho .enthusiastic; ?upport /of its/officers..; Officers of/the boardfelt that there'. was too much log/ rolling-going-on.'' : ; /s/f/;;//;'/;■,,/ Mr. J. \W.. M'Ewari'. remarked that there/was 1 no .to get' down- in'■' the': doldrums; because, a mistaker.had /been made, as/mistakes, were: liable/to happen boards. He. thought-ail exhaustive inquiry;: and'' re-, organisation -of. the • board's • business 'should-.be/held/before .' increased'' charges were./made. ; is/',/>v ! // : . riiMr./'Bolton-said- that careful; economy. -. m'usfebe /exercised; dui-ing i thovnext;'two or.thrco yearS.. The board was not/-re-' isponsible/for tie/works'^pn,'hand,/which' 'had caused :so; much comracrit./ // As' a fflatter^'.6fr';fdctj p --,-aH:!'ttos/!boaid''3iad'i-hiia. in^/pf,/savings; npon the; •MiramarHvbrk /hb -,'onginal.--,'ostim'ato ;.of;.' ha'd'.-febii: cut, down , to -^£37,000,'/and/;the /original intention .was /that/the' council/ was/ to. in .cash a'iid/ Jand if it/ uiiilertook /this'/work.'/- Afterwards: tliey found 'that a" ~ mistake • ofUiU.OOO . had' been /made :' -between / tho- : original estimate;/''and;.;/ that? 'of- the ', new engineer. . Had the board 1 known I '/ this. ab first, • they - would never have undertaken/the first .instalment/of the /work.' estt ta'ate,/ would/have: been;quite;jus'tified/Jin': taking : on. /estimate '.beehvcprrect.j'^Beforr'in'g.- to- ■ the 1 'implies ./'made/byiprevioua.'■''boards'; and-/certain-officers,-.he 'agreed /that /the new', board. should adopt/the principle': of,' hav-• ;ing wider cranes,.andkwider. ';i;v/,/,;;•// "Too Pessimistic." '•M'/Harkhess expressed, the .opinion thjit .Dr.fNewinan.'had taken too pessimis- j .HC;ft/.yiew.; ; Everyone/recognised that the. iX? l,3^ ■■ c ?® o^ v ones',' .The; year :'just . closed -h'ad probably - been the'mobt uisastroas.inithc history of t'he board.-' Dr.; Kewman ivas basing liis re- • marks.' ■on tho . present/ receipts of'. the board;-,/'ln the'next, .three/or' four years he/ believed '/ the: business ;' of thc p'ort,would ;develop -/faster;..than - it 1 ' had 1 -: doiie'/ ln past' three ' or'- four ■ years. ''The suggestion/of,■>increased>,cbarges also;':lifas, •,bo^d-"ion'.';pi^nt':ravenußi';.andV.hß, , ;r:.ex--i-jectcd ; luture; ' which''/would,.^enable/ interest 1 charges to .bo met.' ' Tho-policy of. tho : board caution,/buttlie board/ must /undertako '.works-- in . advance . Ho ->.belieT^d' that tho Kin'-'s/ Wharf would pay, although .he diu-'hot believe in the;dock.. :In -tho'/next three -years; however;' ho ' was', confident! that there-, would be an . in-' ;c^e.:'ili : :'_rMoipts^;;; , Ho•':r^retted''•nt :: tho'.: ISiimb: time/that;,thb.- board. a/ :bet:ter' -financial; position than- it /was,; but r lie:j< had.; "confidence -in ■ this 1 portand the .smTbuhdirig'/disfrict.''/Ho /recognised: that' | it/iwas .necessary ; that tfio, port 'charges, ■should .be 'increased., lievenuo could. bo' increased ; 50,-per'/cent, ./by,-/increasing'.the outward-, wharfage.;//V;' 1": 'i'ho. Hcn. /'l'. K, Macdohald - referred to - i.tho.,/gloomy-y/prognosticatiohi'of ; Dr. -Kewman.'- J . : He Viras' : - astonished if . one /of the'-hopeful/temperament , of ~the 'Mayor-shoiild'Jhave/gbt/'his.'mind-into.such a state. Mistakes had .been made, but every-' one,mado; mistakes.: /He; Ixilieved the; u.ificiilty; /of to-day could be got 1 'over . .by; tho:; engineers;: to/; say ./that: 25 .years, henco/'our f '-pebple would - be' arii'azedi-at'.our. stupidity, ahd'fear/in con- ; . ittectibii'/Svitli/'.th'b; development .work-'of the .harbour. ./We/ werbf; only ;in. our -in-: fancy/in '.bur- wbrlc' and'iour expenditure. The steady-progress of-the. Dominion-and: of: /harbour was - goiiig ; on' if' only people, would :bo a littlo more encrgetic and hopeful. i "Got to Come to Rook Bottom. I '. • ■f Mr. Cohen said;, faitli . and hope did not cut much ice when we. were confronted .with; serious 'propositions, "Wo . had got tp' /como/ to'-rock bottom, /iihd - seb ,/o'ur'.. way out. Tho, sooner we faced -things ni'd' gave tho public' tho-/trub position of: affairs the. .better,/ : We'' .must;.,-leave something.; to/pbsterity./ /There / was'; a .tendency to -splash money about: without; seeing - exactly what tho result was- going to' bq. . 'It-hail-beon' stated that although .revenue had declined expenses/had -not dsci-eased. This was/not'so, as the secretary's' report would show, .••progress' -and development-were; certainly to bo' aimed,at, but wo should-look souarely at' overy ■ sum 'before, committing tlie board to any furthdr. cxponditure.-zHOjWas;satisfied that the :bolird/ w.b"uld ;regaih its : lost position. .;;';'-Messrs.»il'rasor and C. ■W. Jones :also 'spoke. V - -v..;,' -/„//. - The; chairman,/in replying,/remarked -that a/gQod deal/of;tho,criticism levelled at the boiird.was.unfoi-fcunately ' justified,' but the board could not accept rcsponsi-: bility lfor 'errors made'; by its ' expert, officers.- Dr. Kewinan had been too pessimistic in his remarks; but Mr./Cohen had been quito correct when lie said tho cxpehditure "had;.gonb; down." '-with '/the. revenue. This had always been his endeavour as chairman. After, replying to .various'':-points raisod: : by ; members, the chairuian 'said'Oto would let the question 'be' referred to any/Selcct; Committee and guarantee ;that',-Wellington/was/still - tho cheapest - port: -in/ the/'Dominion; and gnyo the'most facilities; . As ,to . /the uso of •narbouri "Board .i cranes' , by. ships, /- ho thought'this shoiild be optional. He also thought 1 iiart' of .the King's Wharf, should be dismantled; andthat (shipping. companies' should bo; 1 allowed to ; get their cargo out 1 , in.-the-quickest, way./they can. • Tho; repbrt / and.; ;'wcre -adopted.-.t'/; /'; // ;- h ;■ "• ;//-