GISBORNE HARBOUR BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 10

GISBORNE HARBOUR BOARD.

..Sir,—l'was greatly surprised to notice in the'issue of a locai paper of August 26 . the statements- made, in the House ■ by. the advocates, of the Gisborne Harbour Amendment Biil. - ... Mr. "W...D. S. M'Donald, who Holds the office of AVhip for the present Liberal Government, and is a strong advocate of the interests of the working classes",, gave his'version of : the; wishes of the.people of this .district—i.e.,-as he interprets them. Mr. iM'Donald"refers with pardon-' able pride to the fact.that ho was;elected> to the board by a largo -majority, but if he has .been correctly reportedj lie is not-strictly accurate in his figures,. but let that pass. They aie accurate enough for a Parliamentarian, and are quite,,as near tho mark . as many others ."of his .statements. It may bo profitable, in pass-' ing, to notice the source from which! this largo support of his candidature was received.' in -Waimata,' the home' of tho squatter, ho polled 72 votes to his opponent's 1, and two families—avowed; ' supporters of his—exercised no less than 42. votes; That, their . appreciation ■ of his policy was reciprocated we .have, only to., notice tliat the new..board, to which Mr.: M'Donald was elected, at.once jumpeiTup, the Wharfage, rate, on;flour to ss. per ton, 'while., beef was allowed to remain "at its old ■rate,'. viz'., : 2s.' 6d.. Seeing' thfe first, and heavier,'charge is on tliestaif of life, one may, well wonder', where the' working man'comes in; here.; It should' also! be : noted that this was'at a time when, there was great lack of employment, and local.bodies were making every, exertion to cope with the difficulty,'.. . ..-.-'■ , The guileless maimer in which Mr.. M'Donald. was supported by" tho ..Hon.' Mr. Ngata in explaining away the'fact that the. harbour loan of .£100,1)01) approved by Parliament .had never ,been submitted to.the ratepayers is amusing. Tho Hon. Mr. Ngata said-.tbo money ..was insufficient...... Apparently. tho. v '. figures;. of MivMarcliaht, the marine engineer, could: be. quoted; for .the purpose of. expediting the. passage .of ■ the. Bill these gentlemen we're supporting, and quite, ignored in the' .matter of-the-submission of tho '. outerharbour proposals to", the electors;'.' Let mo; inform .Mr;:'Ngata:.that. Mr. ..Mnrchnnfs. e.stimato:.i,wns within. the,.scopq ; : of:'.;.the.-; Harbour Act... x.; >■.'■:::.. V. One feels.somewhat surprised- that.'sucli palpable misstatements., should be dorsed—or, : at all events '.passed—By>'fbfi| Hon. I'. Carroll. If he ;wofe'".'.ili"'."flo&er; touch, with .his' party; here ho';coiild J -nbt; W'Hmavvare of ' the ' i boggle ; 'ino'.'pre'sSit majority on the Harbour Board (5 to .4) have brought their, finances to. . It .is in pleasant contrast to; notice.i:tliß"tern-. Derate and. prudent remarks .of- Messrs. Massey .and Homes during' thu; discussion .of the Bill under; review. . '-'.'\,'; . It.is true that"the. Harbour Board have not submitted to the-ratepayers the proposals for an' outer harbour to accommodate vessels of, large tonnage, which' have been' approved. py. Parliament, for the reason-,that the ruling-party.on r ,the, board,'have, out-voted the opposition'>'o'4.; tho' question,, .and . this' despite 'tlio,do'-' Unite .published''pledge . of 'tlio : ,cbnirmati to dorso. That pledge' has'been .;broke'n,' and'-' tlie""'-ratepayers', have no proposals before -them. "•..Mr. M'PonaUb gavd-'os -a reason-for. the proposals being-delayed' that it wonldventail ian, additional--rate, I-wonder, what rate .this, is ini.addition to.? '1-' suppos- it must be taken'-.that"' he is not aware of ■ the fact that no- rate has boon collected by tho Gisborn'6 Harbour Board for the past threo. years,, but the wharfage rate on flour .still stands.'al.'-l i< ." "■'" ''■'. . ; ' Tho Gisborne Harbour Amendment Bill can- be,-.boiled down thus:- AVhen : Mr. M'Donald and)his party.came into power on . the board ..they found the .board's finances in credit.. They have -now.can-, (li'tlly • told Parliament that they have incurred -. liabilities .'I; which ' .they' cannot meet; without the use of money intended for a totally"' different purpose. ; 'It is little surprise .that Mr. M'Donald pre-' ferred explaining the position iir. his own way in Parliament, rather than-to allow the- matter to be referred to the ratepayers, by, way of a poll, before releasing this lata romiiaiit of tho'original loan of" .£200,000. The minority on the Harbour Board asked'for this palpable piece of justice, and were refused."-. - I am, sir, a member of'the Gisborne Harbour -Board, and am'also the secretary of the-Liberal Association here, and I feel'very.strongly on the manner.in which the-people, of this district have been -treated in ■their harbour matters. I regret, to,,have trespassed so. much upon yoiir space, but feel sui-o ,of your' courtesy- in the circumstances;— T ■ aui, ~' , : .' '~ ';. ; : P. HARRIS; ' , Gisborne, August .27,. 1910.; '.')' ;,.;•'