HARBOURS BILL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 880, 28 July 1910, Page 6

HARBOURS BILL.

QUESTION OP REPRESENTATION.

Tho chairman reported to the Harbour. Board last evening that the Harbours' Amendment'Bill had' passed' its second reading in tho House. The measure, ho; said, required so many amendments that the author would'scarcely know it in its final form. One question ho. rather strongly upon was that of representation. Tho new Bill provided that tho board should consist 'of. thirteen members, seven representing tho city and six the' country. It was further proposed that a majority of the board should constitutor a quorum. They would have tha same difficulty under tho new Bill, unless an amendment wcro carried, in • getting .a i quorum together, as they had experienced ill the past. , In his opinion the country representation was out. of proportion.' Another difficulty'.was that, of olections. Mrl Cohen opined that the country'realty, only had two representatives, thoso returned by Manawatn. and Wairarapa. The Government nominees had never : been country members in his experience. Mr. Bollon said that the board should re-affirm its past resolution that its • strength should bo increased to fourteen,. the extra member being allocated to, Wellington City. It .was unfair to assume because Government nominees hadbeen city men in the past that they always would bo. '•-..,

Mr. il'E\vnii entirely disagreed with Hit) chah'imui in- regard to a quorum. There, should be a provision compelling Uio retirement of members who failed toattend three successive meetings. At this stage the matter was dropped.,