HARBOURS BILL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 863, 8 July 1910, Page 8

HARBOURS BILL.

SHOULD IT GO BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE? With the object of asking that the Harbours Act Amendment Bill should bo sent to a spccial committee, a deputation representing thosu districts where there are harbours which will bo alfected, waited luioii the Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister lur Marine) yesterday. It was pointed out by Mr. Jennings and Mr. Willy that Mr. Millar had some time ago promised that when the Bill came down it would go before a special committee. In view of that promise the Harbours Conference had lclt much of the detail matters connected with harbour legislation to be dealt with by a committee of Ihe House.

The Minister said Uiut personally no would be onlv too glad to sciid the Bill to a committee. Be knew, tor instance, that some of thu schedules would probably give rise to a good deal oi ; argument. There »vas nothing in the Bill that had not been dealt with by the conference. Those recommendations of thoconierence which had been approved had been included, together with recommendations made by tiie Department. For instance, the Department'wanted provision made for the control oi' traffic in harbours 011 regatta days. Then, again, provision had to be made to prevent anybody from removing stone irorn a foreshore. Another matter dealt with in the Bill was the question of the sawdust nuisance in harbours, whicli should bb prevented. The reason why he wanted it 10 be gone on with at once was that it had been hanging over for about seven years, and he wanted it out of the road. If it were sent to a special committee he would have to be present, and he did not eee'how that was possible, in view of his other committee duties. Mr. Witty: It would go through the bands of a committee in a day. Jlr. Millar: Well, the constitution of boards might give rise to a good deal of discussion. Air. liussell: That part of the Bill might be dealt with by the House. Jlr. Millar went oil to say that he would see what he could do. Of course if the Bill were approved by a committee it would be a good thiug, for .he would have its support in the llousc. It was necessary that pome Bills should be ready to go before the House, because if the Address-in-Reply debate fell through the Government would bo twitted with having no legislation ready. As a matter of fact. Bills were now being introduced, aud the Government were roady"to go on with them. He would see Cabinet on the point, but if the Bill were to hang over for a week or two it would not do.

QUESTION OF FRANCHISE. .Some Christehurch members inquired of the Prime Minister yesterday whether the support of the Government would be given to a Bill which proposed to alter the constitution of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and providing for the election of members on a popular franchise. Sir Joseph Ward ."dvised the deputation to concentrate its-efforts on the Government measure, the Harbours Act Amendment Hill, instead of endeavouring to get a local Bill through. If harbour board representation were fixed on. a population basis, it would be a fatal mistake. In such event the bulk of tho representation would go to the cities. It had to bo remembered that a port was not for the special convenience of a city; it was for the whole district.