HARBOR BOARD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4065, 1 August 1884, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

A special meeting of the Board was held this morning at 11.30. Present: Messrs J D. Ormond, M.H.R.. (m the chair), Vautier, H. Williams, Neal, Wardrop, J. A Smith, W. C. Smith, M.H.R., P. Dolbel, Hon. J. N. "Wilson, and His Worship the Mayor. . The Secretary read the notice calling the meeting. A notice of motion had been "■iven by the Ghairman to increase the amount of the Napier Harbor Empowering Billfrom £200,000 to £300,000 The Chairman said themotionhe proposed to move was similar in character, only different in amount, to one he moved some little time ago, and circumstances since then had altered considerably. In the first place it was not a matter for himself whether his views were adopted then or not, but that had been altered by his election to the Assembly as member for Napier. As Chairman of the Board he would have a great deal to do with the Bi">l, which put him in an entirely different position as regarded the Bill. The other circumstances which would justify him in asking them to again consider the subject were that Mr Goodall said he was of opinion that it would be decidedly advantageous to take power for. a larger Hum than the £200,000 in" the draft bill at present. He qualified that by . saying, if it would endanger the passing of the bill, in his opinion it would not be desirable. That was a matter outside an engineerjng one. The other was, that in the letter the Governor had written him (Mr Ormond) he stated his opinion that the estimates of Mr Goodall must be exceeded. In going to Parliament ho would be very much weakened indeed if ho went there u-iable to Bay that provision had been made in the bill for an amount to give practical effect to the scheme they were wishing to see carried • put. He knew some members held the view that it was quite unnecessary to go for the larger amount but said go for the amount at present fixed, and , then in the future go for a further amount. His opinion was that that would decidedly weaken their position. He thought the sum of £300,000 would provide, as far as they could judge by the estimates of the engineer, a sum which would fully meet the requirements of the case. He should like to put it in that way that the bill should be for an amount not exceeding £300,000, and it would be for the Board to say, aftsr the bill had passed, whether they wished to borrow the whole of that £300,000 or the £200,000 to give effect to . the first part of the scheme Mr Goodall laid before them, and if the Board was of that opinion that could be adopted. He could ccc no objection to putting the larger amount into the Bill, and he was qeite sure it would strengthen the position of the representatives to; get it passed through Parliament, because = they • would be definitely saying they were asking for a sum that would give full effect to the scheme they wanted tj sse cairied out. Those were the reasons inducing him to ask them to consent to-the course. When the hill had passed, and the question went <q the ratepayers, it would be for the Board to say to what extent the ratepayers should be asked to endorse it. It did not follow that the Board should think it necessary to borrow that amount in one operation. He knew many members would like to s; ? what the £200,000 would do first. He should te glad if the Boavd could see i's way to agree to his opinion. Ho begged to move the motion he had given notice of. Mr W. C. Smith : I would just like to ask you how you propose to alter the bill, in committee ? The Chaiiman clid not think the alteration would jeopardise the bill in any way. He cKd not think any bill could be placed before Parliament without the power to | alter it, and there would be no difficulty in getting it altered. Mr W. C. Smith said the reason he asked was, if they proposed to alter the bill as it atood, it would require fresh notices. The Chairman said he would not think it right to make any such alteration unless the Board agreed to the course, and then -when in committee he should say the intention ■was to increase the amount. Mr Williams thought it would be a great pity to alter the bill, as the Chairman was not sure it could bo altered. The Chairman was quite sure the b?U could be altered. Every word could be altered, and he did not make any answer of that kind. If such a change arose, and the bill should be jeoparised, it would not bo done. - ~1 Mr Wilson: Would it not put it back as regards time ? The Chairman : If it did I should say it should not be altered, but there would be no difficulty of that kind. Mr Williams was sorry that the question had been re-opened, notwithstanding that the Chairman was now the member for the town, and that he would have an opportunity of taking a more lively interest in the bill. It was decided by the Board by five votes to three that the bill, should not be altered, and personally he had not been convinced of the necessity for an alteration. Mr Goodall had told them a proper breakwater could be made for £200,000. The engineers /differed, and said he waa out iq. his calculations, but he was a man of experience who had been cany ing out a similar work, and the woik there had teen, under Ms estimates, therefore they had no reason to suppose the, work could not be done for the amount, more especially as men could work, here for less money owing to a better climate. The scheme ■was suitable for their district, and would be all they required for several years. It ' would improve tbeir works at the Spit, and that would give them additional accommodation. There was every probability that the smaller amount would suffice, and the extra wharfage and extra business would be quite sufficient without raising a rate at all, and to do otherwise would alarm the ratepayers, and to frighten them would be to shelve the works. If the Board, "decided for the larger amount he should give his protest against it. The Chairman said Mr Goodall's letter to him showed what his opinion was, and Mr "Williams was not correct in saying a large sum", was not desirable nor necessary. In speaking of the subject to the Governor he expressed the opinion that the sum of : £200,000 was not sufficient, and that the amount should be £300,000. It was not correct at all to say that Mr Goodall was not alive to the advantages of the larger sum. . ' - > ■• / ■■-.;,- ■■ •

Mxs, Williams .thought the more money an engineer could get for a work the better it was for him.: He waa quite satisfied that the smaller sum was all that -was necessary, and the .Governor affirmed that. ■ . : The .Chairman: Most certainly not. The Governor says it is insufficient. .Mr Williams said he had an opportunity of seeing many of the country settlers, and so far, the impression was that the "Waipawa Council in opposing the scheme <yere indicating the feeling of th<? district.

: The Chairman said they were opposing the scale of rating. ■. ...„,.„. Mr William* said the scale -of rating would be much brought forward by the larger amount/ ? Many of the settlers who were lukewarm at the first were now frightened at the amount, and he could, not help thinking they should confine themselves to the original amount named, it tho works showed a reasonable amount oi success, then there would;. be not the slightest difficulty in getting a further amount. The ratepayers would say they were bound to spend the amount asked tor whatever happened. They would say it the £200,000 resulted in a failure, _ let them have an opportunity of Fγ 6 S°™ money being thrown after bad. He hoped the proposal would be withdrawn. MrW. C. Smith thought, if possible the Board should be unanimous one way or the dther They would go to Parliament and STratepayJn veryVich better if they were unanimous. '■ There was no opposition on. the part of the Board t<s the breakwater It was an important thing to alter the bill in the shape proposed, and he was frig-htened it would have a bad effect, .tie knew the feeling in his district. A small portion were entirely against the breakwater, and nothing would alter that opposition, hut there was another class whose votes would be lost if the amount were altered. The people ' believed that the interest on the £200,000 conld be found from the receipts. If in the future the I works proved a success they would be prei pared to go in for a further amount. If they altered the amount it would giye the minority a handle, because they would say they were bound to have a rate, and it would affect a large majority of the votes in the district. The only argument in favor of the £300,000 was that they would not need to apply for a future bill. Mr Goodall's opinion, he knew, was that the works could be carried out on his estimates, but as an engineer he said borrow a large sum if they could get it, but he (Mr Goodall) still maintained that the proposal he made, that a breakwater that would do for a time, could be made for £200,000. The Governor's opinion was that the works proposed were satisfactory, though he understood he (the Governor) was in favor of an increase in the amount. That did not affect the question at all,- as neither the Governmeut nor the Commissioners had done similar works, and as Mr Goodall had his estimates were better. The Board had also to consider that the Bill had been before the House and a majority of members agreed to support it, but if they increased the amount the principle "would be altered that they agreed to support. They could get an amending bill if necessary. To alter the bi)l would be running an enormous risk, as members would naturally say the biJl would require further consideration. _ Ho should do his utmost in conjunction with the memb~ .• fo Napier for the bill. Mr Ncal said he had voted against the proposal for an increase previously because the bill waa before Parliament, but now there was time for consideration and it was probable that £200,000 would be fine cutting. If a small additional amount were necessary they would require a fresh bill. They were not then discussing the question of tho amount that should be borrowed. When the time came he should support the amount their engineer said was necessary. Mr Dolbel said he supported the larger amount previously, and ho would do so again, as he saw nothing to endanger the bi'l in the proposal. They need not go to the ratepayers to borrow £300,000, but if neces3ary it would enable them to borrow that amount without further trouble.

Mr Vautier said they knew that one individual at the Spit was doing his utmost to get ship captains to sign a petition against the breakwater, but the majority of the captains he had spoken to wore in favor of the scheme. If they extended the proposed works of 1300 feet by 600 feet additional they would leave 700 feet of an entrance to the harbor because of the Auckland rock, and it would be better to carry out the le3ser work than attempt anything further. The prospect of increasing the amount was doing a deal of harm, and he would oppose the increase to the last. Mr J. A. Smith asked if the whole amour i; would be raised at once.

Tho Chairman said he would be against that.

Mr Wilson said the agents would tell them to raise the amount at once.

The Chan-man said they need not do what the agents told them. The Mayor said he had voted against the proposal pre\iou3ly because of the want of time, but that did not hold good now, but he world vote for it. When the question came before the Board he should vote against tho whole amount being raised at once.

The Chairman said, in moving the motior, he had given it the most earnest consideration, and it was his opinion that the position would be strengthened by increasing the amount. He had a number of letters from members, asking whether the amount would carry out a satisfactory harbor, because if not they were not going to Parliament with right and fair pretensions. Now his own belief was that tho further sum would be absolutely necessary. He thought the position would be enormously improved by going with a complete scheme, a scheme that could be defended. And. he wus not afraid to put the mal.ter in that light before Parliament and their fellow settlers, and ho would face both and get their support, but he would not like to go with something that was not complete and was not a thorough statament of the case. He then referred the petition being got up against the scheme, and to the resolution passed by the Waipawa County Council. On the latter he said the rating would not be unjust, because it would be on the value of the lands that were most improved, if a rate were necessary, they would have to pay in proportion. The resolution was carried ou tho voices.

CHAKGB OF THE BILL.

Mr J. A. Smith said while admitting the indebtedness of the Board to Mr W. C. Smith for his exertions, he put it io Mr Smith if the Chairman should not have charge of the bill. Mr Williams said it was not a fair question, as Mr Smith wonld have diffidence in answering. Mr Smith said they would have to rescind the resolution putting the bill into his ha.ids, and it would be necessaay to give notice and have a special meeting. Mr J . A. Smith said it was a very delicate question to bring forward. The Chairman said he did not see anything delicate in the position. He thought it was his proper duty to have charge of the bill us Chairman of the Harbor Board and member for Napier. A very acrimonious discussion ensued, which pressure on our epace forbids us noticing. Ultimately the matter was allowed to drop. Mr J. A. Smith, it is understood, will give the necessary notice for a .special meeting to consider the subject.