HARBOUR BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 734, 5 February 1910, Page 6

HARBOUR BOARD.

B||||: ; -w|h v ;Wre ;0 F.FI IN EEft/ ;S; : .;| : ;': meeting"of' the .Welling|^V;^J^V.?* r J'^,'-'Boarcl-. w M held at 1.30" p.m. yesterday;" Wilford; ! M;P.V,-.pr&. i55?v&3 sided,' .'and'"others': presentl.worc: p>?|K; ; (C.*B; Fletoher, 'J. : W.M'Ewo.n, pgf%: C;*^;; Jones;:■T/ G.\Bolton, ; ;M...' Cohen, ,F..; feiSs-' H.;.!PMBBr;;arid' J: G: Harknees/ ■• The com-' fe?:iS- : paratiVely'/SmaU.'portions .of-the : .meeting which'; : wra»''opei.;-'to";.the- : .pr«Si were;.doIte'S'fiH,' voted': toydiscussior^;on/thepraotice .of K'fy;: on;, the te;JW;]'i- : an;office';engineer." '; fet''i '?}§' . : the .boardsgo, te?ctftAlinto;bommittee.;%;! y^; : ' f .■;'??-

3;: :ii. W:*l.P.rotesit.^"v ;p''vf' ; '"/",-', ffi;S:J : ; 4 to.the'fact. 1 that jCftsVß.^grrat-iramber"xrf:,th'e.'item6on tholo'rder i'' sv' ; paper .could very/well be\dealt- with in oj\; open; board/;'-;He 'instanced "the; letter; of SS'g: aeiShiw-Sarill Company;;regarding: the i/.vK'i; handling: of "luggage,', the draft "agreement I'.S;;'; ; :iiogardirig 3fr.' E. D. Cachemaille, the..en-. : <?ss£ fleer's Ireport;oil works for the enrrend J. <SM year,'i, the;; secretary's ; ;,Teport ion ' sources ii?s;Krf, ; rOTeiuie/'and .theiletter "of'thS'.ChamS.V.AK'jier. of: Commerce in regard, to the: hand\%"siS£ng.:of.'dried vfruit. ".In regard: r:S;'. ; ariatbr,-referTing' to the. Auckland- HarBoard,: ;had;.in£imated ;: -- - / that' it Bad some' bearine : 'on';the ; Harbo>iT3 Si:;.:;Bill^buthe(Mi.:"BoltorJ.:.thoughtVit : ;was 'f;!;.' a- matter' on- which': the public were en-. iriformatioii : ;;;lt .had:not, ; -:S:/,ibeen;tne'praotice T :for";a -minoraty.:of.,the-'';-'::v; jboard •to' T repeat'iii 6Den;'board the; arguktyh':inents.they had;previously' used in l corn-; S.V": inittee;.but.they might.:go too far m-tnat, •;''':•;",way;- In the present those.mem--1!;"tlb^: or two 'items ;/;V : :5-'"would'take: every,: opportunity ...in; coms:'W;,;mittee'arid;in bpen'board to;express;their, l :- ; "'V news in fuUi-," Ho, therefore, that,; l-i'■• iA> Jri br'deri to-save tirhe-and .'avoid: double-. V; and \ to':give',the:publji^ajv.opV "':.' jportunfiy. to' become:';, aware.;:, of. matters IJ-' : . which thoysbould-know of/'ony matters ; i:'"";«n:the order 'paper, which'did'not involve; j:.&;Wotiations"which; it- would, be.preju-. -v-:,<'.:dicial interest ,to. disclose ::V";K? e hould "bo : open; meeting. j;/\.

► i I. Not Electioneering, ' " Mr. Fletchoi supported Mr Bolton's \ ram-u-ks Ho repefled a suggestion that 1 Sie was electioneering. His position was .'the same as it had always been Ono ■ . would think," he continued, "that thero I iwas a sacred halo round this board. The ', * - [press and the people receive lornial lnt formation that there is so much lying to .credit of current account, and so much l to be paid in wages—and that it all Iho ■position is absurd" The latepayors of ' the city, and the country constituents, ' ibad a right to know what was being ) , done. It was detrimental to the interests of the board to do so much business in committee. He considered that the ShawSavill Company's letter on handling of [luggage, his own notice of motion to *■ prescind the board's previous resolution Iconcormng Mr. E. D._ Cachemaille, the *■ engineer's report on works to be done > during the voir ending Sootember 30, ISII, were proper things the public to be informed about Had the board ■done more of its business in open meeting m the past, there would not have been eo much blundering as thero had been. The position was a serious one, and tiie people were waking up to the situation in regard to works of an unlenranerative character. Chairman's; Ruling. Iho chairman, on a point of order ;being raised by Mr. M'Ewan, ruled that board had no power to do what was by Messrs Bolton and Fletcher. ■la. regard to Mr. Fletcher's notice of fmobon, he\had already ruled that under (By-law 72 it must bo taken in committee,' {as it was a, question affecting the status lof an employee. ' Mr. Bolton. Will that prevent us disBossmg it afterwards? , Tie' chairman: No The report ,by t itte engineer had already been referred by the board to the board m committee ; urtthout a division.. The letter of the KJbamber of Commerce on the Wammoo's , cargo of dried fruits \ was referred to the Wharves and Accounts Committee, and thai committee recommended the 1 board to'deal with it m committee. He ' quoted the 'minutes to that effect In , regard to the item connected with oceangoing steamers, he saw no reason" why that should not be taken in open board. , ■ Jn the "course of further disicnasxan, tho chairman" said that in ithe press the onus was thrown , Irpon tan of; having so much business dono in committee. TT?q position was J that he had to rule according to precedent and by-tor and the resolutions , already carried by the board, and ho [was notgarng to alter his views on fiiax pomx Mr. Wilford also said that < ■> (apart from that aspect of the matter fa saw no'reason why any of the matters referred to should not be taken m *open board. Mr. Fletcher said ho did not think the , 'ipress had blamed Mr. Wilford. He complained that the chairman had followed the old-established customs of the ' Iboard too much. / , The chairman: Without' which there I ■would be chaos.' Mr. Bolton said thoy objected to the <, >eadiqu.<rby-lavs and the interpretations ! 'placed upon them by the board. i t Mr. C. E. Darnell said he agreed that more of the work might well be done V in open board though he would have to vote to go into committee on the present occasion, aftor the chairman's statement.

< Mr. M. Cohen t expressed <nmti n r views. On a division being taken, Messrs Bolton, Fletcher, and M'Ewan voted against I going into committee.

;£iTheV.toard went ante •committee- at.-2 /P.m.,;:'anfl-i resumed;■'■'inVvopen Aboard-Jfat ' JUiO...p.m.i:':•When-'the ■'-reporters /.wjre ■'.again,.:admitted,': ;the;::;Hbn;-.T.rKenniidy; .'Macdonald, M.L.C.,'and Dr.- Newman were ipresenV'.inVaddititm to those mentioned ,ab6re.':>/-,:;■;,.'■ ;rf,;•;*.'(>:;: -■ i ; :-:- :>■■.:•.:• i;■:.„-.' ■;j;.,. ;V : : ; The ; chairnian;reported .th^'jtie;bbird, ;;ffl;i.comnutteo' ; had'/resolved -in' 'favour':' of' .of the'agreement. with' Mr.' E. ■V. Cachemaillo- regarding his'.-/ : appoinfc- : meat: te,.offiea/. engineer. ; :He, moved -'to ; ~' : ; ;Saidv desiredito ; move as ■;m\ amendment:that..the-matter -be left' ."toMfcejnew -board '.'abont'tbv.b'ei elected; ,; ' ~;; The * chairman - ruled: thi'B out, of "order ion ;thaAground-v-'tliat'-;Mr'. < :'-:Bblton' ; '''h'ad'- : moved!.it. in;committee.just before,.and it ; had;>beeh: rejected.','.;' ■'".''..',. .'A - V ;-: Mri.':Bolton,; after -.a'frnitfess protest' ;,against/this ruUng.'.'said.he' wiuhh move W'called for the' ' 'position ■of ..'office':..;ehgineer,', if'it ,waa. /thought/desirable.;to', create'.such,/a'p'osi-/•■:noiL':•■'''.'.■■■■.•.'-'.:,■.i-;-.'.»;•;?':'.::/." ,".;"' ';■:■■/'

S:■•'.; The,- chainnan'/Tnlcd; this also out: of ;. : ,,"order,-.<m.'-the.",ground'..that."it. had been' :■;;■ :ffloyed,and. rejected iwjthin.theilast-three '■ -,':>;';.',-.;L'-:•■'.'' •!-."■■ ■-'-.'■•- ■;;J..' -4'-.-s : ■.' .;■::>■ :.;' .vr Mr. Bolton. next ..wished, .to 'move that ;■;■'.;-beforo.the be" madeas. to the' resppnsi-.>:-.:-;.:wlity-::.fof:,:the:.-estimates regarding'':the ;,- -; :Miramar'wharf,:and;reclamation.':' ■'- '■•- ;"..:•:'.;.::The chairman';ruled this, and also an:y: pother: proposed -'amendment/.byrMr. Bpl- . .'• ton,;out of s'drder; on, similar -,grounds' to ■:J'i;^l2io' ; abore.'V';.;:.:i.Y-.''v'-;':;'■'■>.:■' ■. - "V'.,/.-:i;-.'t-. i , : ■.--""■."-

V -' -iy Against the Appointment, ■ ; ',"..:'. , ; 'i''ittr. 7 ;Bolton ithen 'proceeded .': to ';' speak , same lines as his 'previousremarks V.Dmthe'subject'- He "asserted..that the loss , '."'j>n v the. Jliramir. work was.iCH.OOO, and -the engineer/had estimated that it would ■'•; cost 1 ;£4000 to remedy' the; subsidence;thai ;. ; had, : up;to the: present time, occuiTed at "•' the -Petone' Wharf. He wanted to: know '■'■ why.tlie agreement, with Mr,. Cachchiaille : haa~ been, rushed been i sail--that:;the.'appointment ,was'recom-: •'' mended by: Mr. Marchbanks, the engineer, , bat ■ he considered that they need not ini-r.-plicitly .carry-: out vthe .engineer's, recom : ■ ■" mendatiohs,- oenVmatters ?that:had: : to rip , with..;adniini^aßiro l /;rathOT..-:ihißi jfechrii-. , ! T :'ißali;-matfas. : /' ,, Bie',6yd;. ; hoi^Mnfc"it; : wo/uld yf be saHskctory'L'foT*:Mr.:-Ca«h£maille-tq,be. ■i in : ;chargei'duTing;-a .temporary: absence -oli ,'i Mr'.?iMarohbaaks," though- 'he'.'iwas , .prac--■'.;'tkaUyi.being.made an assistant;engineer; v:He'submitted-'that' no .member of'.'tlie .{.board would 'take such,a course.: in' .Ms: ;'• '-private business as the board ' was -taking.' -.'::,, Mr. .'Fletcher also .protested against' the ' y appointment. ■■■ The/ whole .thing had been; .".gone'abputiwithiindecent;;haste; . Notica ; :V should hays jboen.given,of the proposal to: -J create :.the new .office,'.' The. board had. . : -fpassed;an. almost-unanimous ..vote :6fcen-. -.-'■Bare'on Mr. "Cachemaille,. and yet they'

gave, this; appointment to . him. ..The board should: not have put ■ upon Mr. Marchbanks 'the responsibility' of 'making a recommendation in-, the .'matter, and. he believed the recommendation was due to -. that gentleman's kindness of heart; l ;Mri; Fletoher' also criticised the appoint-' mentj of»-Mr..-J , ergus6n. as,.consulting en:' Cache- . maitie -should -left to thp new, .board. ~Tho-economy which all ■■ admitted. to';be'nccossary was not being observed in :; : ; : ,: , '-- ■/ ".■',

: Mr.:Cachemailla Defended. /';.ifr. ; ;j..';W. MTGwan said the engineer's .estimate of;the';'cost of the repairs'to the Petbne iWharfjrwas. iClid'Or riot .J!4000 as' staged .by. jir. Poltpn. ,He .qii.qtcMi. a : memo-'-rand'um by. '->'''',; '•Mr/ Bolton ij said . he. .had.ouoted the figure from.'the official schedule. . ,;■•■ Mr.: 'Fletcher;: . That's-. ■ only an; instalment.' ; ;'■'; : .'''". : (,- ■•' ".." '"' ';" : Mr; Mllwan'said the .€I4OO was" to put the wharf -in. ; a. proper condition.; Mr. Cachemaille was not'.whojly to;blame,for the failure of the Petone Wharf. ..■ ■"• Mr. Macdqnald: 0h!.... ; .;- . ..- > ; Mr. said Mr. ..Cachemaille carried but'the specifications of 'the "consult-; ing.engineer;.. The' faot that Mr. Cachemaille's:estimate of the cost.of work at ; Miramar was too low,'did. not. mean a loss .to ;the'..board; .'Mr.: .Marchbanks .had given, a good reason for; wanting an office engineer. He required; to 'go about and the;.various .works: in progress: A' great deal of unnecessary". feeling had' been' brought; into .the matter. It had been' before, the board for '.three or four, months, :and there had been no. hurry; about, it. •'" ■•■'•'.".:, ■'.".:■:• •/. '

,'.: Mr.; Jongs said.,he would, like, publicly, to;; express' his with'Mr, Cache-. 'mailleV; T^hb.'had:.been .'repeatedlyattacked by.' certain -members 'of the board.; iHe had been,;,kept. i.n .a state:, of,' anxiety. , -W,hich ,> had'-injured"his. health, and his authority; over .those working under him \ had Deentunderniined;,-.-M.r,. ..Cachemaille's appointment-was.'a justice.-

:^;.;;o ; ;:iNotice of Motion. -l!.' I .■'■'.■■■ 'i ;: The'Hon.':' T.K. 'Ma'cdpnaid .said he ,iiope'd',;that; Jiow.'ithai»'a i'naw/.board' was to';-.be'; constituted,,'members would face ihepositibniMß itheyi'did not do so,, there ■would"b'B'.'a'.lniostr'tremendous mess , in connection:with.Wellington's greatest asset^its" harbour/;, .He; intended, to: give noticeof the; motions:— ;. '!' 'That ■ a 'Finance Cjdmmitteo "be. set up .to'.report' within. one,; month as. to.the mdrithlyV.:pay-sheeta <> of board,' and ..what s ''.r.eductions, ~,ol' the;/judgment of tte.'/boardj'^are'./neceffiaiy.'-in'''order that greater .'economy, may, exist in connection" with: the-board's -.-; ■-':■■ •'.". "That'the' whole of. tlie/by-laws of the ■Wellington • "Harbour : Board.,: regulating the conduct. of business.' be rtferred; to'a special meeting board,, within .seven days of ; ,the^'"first'meeting "of; the'- board, with . iristructioris to ,'care'fully .examine such.':by-laws, ;arid' : to;':rep6rt',:'.within one month/what changes (if any)'.they recommcrid;" >:;/;; v;y/:-;^r' ; :/:r:;;;;:i;\ ;,--'.' -;. 'vV;;. '.' Fully ; ; ;;

■ :Mr.^Harkness,said'.the. new; board .would have.,to, reorganise; .its 'staff: ; from .'topto ■• bottom. ■:This'.'was ' absolutely essen^, 'faal;';;,-:He' : :read l " a n':V , :'extracti' from Mr. Marchbonks's'-report ; to. the effect .that Mr. .Cachemaille', was..'an'expert: 'draughts-' ■ man,'.;;, a,;\'goodv ■, mathematician ; , and ..designer, ; fwell;,i,up .•■/.;in ; : ; the-:. ;• work ■ of".:. the; -.: department; '.■', ] and ',possessed-.of-aVgeneral' knowledge'.of the work of the-boardjthat;was of -considerable*, value. He •.(Mpi■ •Harkness):.Relieved' that -.Mr.' Cacnemaille.. was.'. fully-, competent >to do the, work reauired of.'.him,,aid,his'-ser-vices .would be-of considerable ;value to Mr.lMarahbanks.'; ; v--v; '.::;.V ( v. .:.■.;-•-," ••.■. ,'•■■' Mr.'..Cohen.:said: If Mr;.Cachemailiehnd made, a mistake; .to \make- mistakes 'was human...When';'Mr. \ Marchbahks.was appointed,- it was'stated that he iwould have to make a report ;bn the,staff;.: .Mr:'Coheh fur.ther: contended^.that-the-board'could not,' with,Belf-respect,:.lea've'.-"the matter to the incoming; board. ,'!,• • the motion,''. on'> the • grounds vof absolute' jus-' ,tice.; ; . ::>-;.:-;,':; ■■.:;-:-' ■■■'"..: '-', .';'.' v -The/Chairman ; ;'jn- Reply;;} k■ > ; ; The-'ohairman;''said: he.'was.tie'second .senior meinber'iof : the: boardjjand: his -ob-i' servations- had, convined him. .that Mr. : Cachemaille was a' man of niany qualifications.' He (Mr, /Wilfo'rd), had. every.' confidence in the'engineer's .recommendation. 'The engineer had' said that.: Mr.',, Cache-' m'aille's duties: Would.be in the.omce,'and his (thi'ispeaker'sj-.apprbval. ;;-In'regard to the'Pefcbne^v:wharf;-"'the ('actual extra'-ex-: pense.at'.the'present timei.wasViSl'lOO.'.'.'is' for the Miramar work,' there .was.as yet no, 'evidence' 1 not get interest.'on''.its''expenditure.;.<•' Mr.' Macdonald'j.hail' ,:said': 'something '..about a;. "tremendous'mess," but he would remind' new;works' had lieen under-: takenV/during • his: chairmanship.-.'.'■.; They, were -all ;:legaoies: frbih 'Mr. .Macdonald'schairmanship'.' ;.He;;(the,' speaker), had-riot' t rushed ; ;ihtq;;.eipenditure. but when, : the Ireyenuivdropped expenditure, was also de-' creased,. 60'.that .'in spite ; of'unfavourable circtimstaiicesthe.boardwas only.iE6oo to the-bad,'after, puttingiaside'-lafge sums for siiJdngVfunasj'irevenues,'-depreciation, et6>':V.s;fV ! !'':;-'>'-^-^

I The';motion''was : carried.-'the'Hon.' ,T.'K.. Macdo'nald,[;Dr. ; Newman, Messrs..Fletcher and i Boltca?. recording ,'their'^yotea: against .i.;x , ;'■,;'■ •'.'■•' : --,"■','. '.'.(■ The-: engineers, report[priiworksin' hand ;and in coriteriiplatidn for'the'current'year and -'the', secretary's, report.:on possible sources' of--; : additional'o.revenue':,were, re-' ferred'to.the"■nsw/boar'd.'-*■'■?'.{•',,'-■-.'■ •.'/■.- .

The:bpard : :r6se;at;o;2p:p'.rii.