DEPUTATION.

Evening Star, Issue 3674, 1 December 1874, Page 2

DEPUTATION.

Messrs M‘Neill, Towsley, and Gillies (secretary), waited upon the Commissioner of Customs to-day on matters connected with the Harbor Board. Mr M'Neill explained that the chief object of the deputation was re the delegation of the powers by the Goveruoi under the Marine Act of 1807. Before Mr Davie went to England he wrote a letter to the Colonial Secretary, signed by Mr Mercer, asking that the delegation of powers be made similar to those in other Provinces ; but no reply was received to the application. Thus they had been prevented from taking steps, financially or otherwise, which they would have een their way to take. Mr Reynolds replied that a letter, dated July and signed by Mr Mercer as chairman, had been received. A copy of it was sent to the Superintendent, asking him to intimate officially that the Board had been legally established. There had been no official intimation that such a Board existed, and no reply was received to that communicati n. Then he received a telegram from Mr Gillies on November 5. Mr Gillies : First mere was a letter from me—l think an official one.

Mr Reynolds replied that an official letter was received by him from Mr Gillies on September 28, asking whether the Governor would delegate his powers direct. Mr Gillies : That is really the sameqnes tion as was asked in the previous letter and is now asked.

Mr Reynolds : I may state that I did not then receive this letter, as I was absent from Wellington, r l ben, on November 6 I received a telegram from Mr Gillies, the exact effect of which I cannot remember. Mr Gillies said that a reply was received to the effect that if the Superintendent delegated his powers, the Governor would be advised to delegate his powers. i\ir Reynolds said that, on the receipt of the letter from Mr Gillies, he sent a telegram to the Superintendent asking him whether he was prepared to reaicn the dele gated powers which he possessed, and that the Governor would give the powers direct. Then to that he received a reply from the Superintendent that lie saw no reason to resign the powers held by him, and that as ex officio chairman to the Board it would be uunecessary for him to do so ; but that should any necessity arise, he would then be prepared to have his delegation revoked. That is the way the matter now rested.

Mr : Then I presume T can take U for granted, from the tenor of what you have stated, that there is no objection on the part of the General Government to delegate ihj powers if the Superintendent delegates Mr Reynolds : They have no objection to delegate what power they consider necessai y. In answer to a question as to the Port ( halmers jetty dues, Mr Reynolds said the Government had no objection to granting the 13oard powers similar to these conferred on the Auckland Board The question of handmg over the Port Ghalmers jetty would have to be considered, and he might state that it £as not tinder his control, but, being part of the railway p%t, was under the control of the Minister of Works. He would be prepared to rec -mmend the Governor to delegate such poyvera as were delegated to the Auckland Uartofr if tbo Sape^tejj.

(lent was willing his powers should be revoked. The Harbor Board was constituted by an Act of the Provincial Council, and when the Auckland Harbor Foard was con* stituled the Su: erintendcnt requested t» have the delegation to him revoked, and a fresh delegation made iu favor of the Harbor Board. The request was acceded to, and the Governor's powers under the 10th sect on of the Marine Act were delegated to the Board. Afterwards the Governor delegated to the Board his powers under section 12, that is, for the appointment of pilots, and before anything was done the Superintendent had previously relinquished the powers which formerly bad been delegated to him Mr M'Nkil said that the Board would bu quite satisfied if they received similar terms as were given to the Auckland Board. In the event of the Harbor Board reconstructmg the scale of Harbor dues he wished to know whether the Customs authorities would 1 be allowed to collect than. Mr Reynolds said that be did not think it advisable to have half-a-dozen collectors. No objection would be offered by the Customs authorities to s ch a proposition, i Mr Tbwsi.et : Tho General Government very courteously received the overtures of the Board for the taking up by Trust funds of some portion of its debentures, but at last explained themselves unable to do eo. Will Mr Reynolds have any objection to give the reasons for the final refusal ? Mr Keynolds : The reasons for the final refusal were that the Trust funds have all been otherwise dispos d of. Mr 1 ewsley : We are to understand then that there whs no doubt in the mind of the Government as to the validity of the security offered ? Mr Reynolds : Certainly. If I had any money to invest I would only be too glad to take up any amount in these* bonds. r i he deputation then withdrew'.