BOARD V. DEPARTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1079, 18 March 1911, Page 5

BOARD V. DEPARTMENT.

FRICTION AT WANGANUI. • (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.! Wanganul, March 17.' For a considerable time past a dispute lias been going on between the Harbour Board and tho Railway Department, the latter, which manages the town wharf under an agreement with the board, having sought to make that body pay for the increase in wages which it gave the men. The board, while admitting the justice of the men's case, objected to the managing authority giving tlie increase, and oxpecting others to pay for it. After a good deal of negotiation, the Department informed the board that it would deduct the amount from the board's share of wharfage. There has also been another dispute lately over the Department's method of charging for tho latter,, tho board having found that the Patea Board's complaint, re computation and, collection of wharfage, had moro in it than appeared on the surface.: - A meeting of the Harbour Board was held last night to consider tho matter, when the board resolved on the extreme step of terminating tho agreement with the Department, and telling the latter that in future tho board would work the wharf itself. Th'o'6ituatioii"i3"likely to become interesting, as except for tho approach 1 to the wharf, the Department' owns all the land in tho vicinity, and can to some extent block transhipments by rail.' On the other hand tho board owns tho wharf, and can, if it chooses, keep the ' Department's rolling-stock off it. -So far as the public is concerned, its 'sympathies are entirely with the board, as tho Railway Department (riot the local officers) have throughout acted with a good deal of discourtesy and total disregard of tho board's inter•sts.' ■ ' ' :