MR. R. FLETCHER, M.P.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 239, 27 June 1918, Page 6

MR. R. FLETCHER, M.P.

SERVICES TO THE HARBOUR BOARD. At last night's meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board.the.chairman (Mr. C. E. Daniell) mentioned that the board's collection of photographs of ex-chairmen had been made complete by Mr. Fletcher, M.P., who had presented a fnuned photograph of himself. Mr. Fletcher was etill a member of the board, and it was with very great pleasure 'that hie brother members added his picture to tho photographs already hung on the -trails of tbe board room. Mr. Fletcher, said the chairman, hnd first entered the board as an advocate of now jdcas. Ho had taken a keen and critical interest in the work from the first. The granting of annunl leave to the board's employees hnd been tin early out-come of his efforts. Then he had been instrumental in securing the adoption of the superanmm'i tion scheme. It said much for his head as well as for his heart that he had Bucceeded in carrying that scheme to a successful issue. The establishment of the appeal board had been another matter in which Mr. Fletcher had taken a very active- interest. He had .insisted that, the men ousrht to have a of appeal, and the board had adopted the system he advocated. The appeal board had proved to be of advantago to all concerned. Then Mr. Fletcher, as chairman of the board, had done very great service to the port in connection with tlio dock scheme. The board had tried to build a dock and had got into trouble, legal and otherwise. Mr. Fletcher had shown the 6trong hand 'of a business man in tho way in- which ho deaty with that important question. He had had the honour of being-selected six times to.the chairmanship of the board, and his fel-low-members regarded him with admira- , yon and respect. Mr. M. Cohen supported the chairman, ■ and several other members spoke iu a similar strain. J , Mr. Fletcher, in reply, thanked mem- i bers for their kind words. ■ He said that i he had always taken a Veen interest in ■ tho work of tho board. Referring ta tho 1 dock, ho said ho realised that the "port i needed a dock. But the time had not < yet come. Was it not better to move ' along quietly and carry out the works (hat were practicable rather than go in [ for luxuries that the board could' not , afford ? Tho dock as proposed would havo i cost the board J2LOOO. a year for interest i on capital. Mr. Fletcher referred to the board's superannuation scheme, for which he had fought very bard. The scheme was a very good one. he said, and the ( men who had opposed it originally hnd < been brought to see its justice and ih i worth. , Tt was a grand thing to feel I that the old servants of the bon.rd wero - provided with the means of living in some comfort in tho winter of their lives, i He hoped that the board would continue 1 to prosper, and to conduct its operations ■' in the interest of tho whole community, i '-■'■-'■- ..'■' _r — ( ( f i , c