The Harbour Board Association

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 107, 8 March 1892, Page 2

The Harbour Board Association

[from our own correspondent. 1 A meeting of tho Association that has taken up the remaimug lands of the Wanganui Harbor Board Block was held in the Colyton Hall on Saturday, March sth. Twenty-mno members either at" tended or were represented by proxy. Mr ■ G-. B. Lucas, the chairman, called on the I Secretary to read the minutes of last meeting which were afterwards confirmed. The correspondence received since la9t meeting from the Secretary of the Harbor Board, related principally to Mr Lucas' yisit to the board on the Association's behalf, and to the arrangements of the deputation to wait on the Waste Lands Board in Wellington on February 25th. Mr Lucas, who represented the Association, then gave the outlines of the nieeting. Mr Baker, Commissioner of Crown Lands, suggested an ainendmeut of the act relating to the deferred payment sales of lands being handed over to local bodies for roads, an amendment to meet this particular case only. The Harbor Board has always refused to pay the thirds ou their deferred payment sales for roadmakmg aud they contract themselves out of it iv this present case. They shelter themselves under their Endowment Act. Mr Lucas has this last week, been engaged in looking over all the old Laud Acts relating to deferred payment lands. He has found something prior to the Act of ISSn which will be seryiceable to the Association. The meeting on the motion of Mr Hugbey, seconded by Mr Cumin, authorised the Chairman " to wait on the Wangauui Harbor Board at its next meeting, and propose to pay an extra five shillings per acre for the land, the Wanganui Harbor Board to give the thirds for roadmaking in return."— Carried. The Chairman stated that the next meeting was on Monday, March 7th. After some further disoussion relative to some remarks as to capitalizing thirds, and pay interest on loans with them instead of spending small sums on roads. Mr Curran made a further proposition that " Mr Lucas act for the association at the Harbor Board meeting as he thinks best." This was seconded by Mr Stanton and carried. At his former meeting with the Harbor Board it was reported in the paper that Mr Lucas made a proposition to the Board, re the thirds, on his own responsibility. He was acting then in the interests of the Association when he made that proposal, and Mr Cumin's motion (carried by the meeting) shows publicly that he is acting on the authority given him.' On the 26th February Messrs Notuian and Lucas waited on the Premier, who undertook to present a short Enabling Bill to Parliament when it assembles in April, to allow the Wangauni Harbor Board to sell their lands on what terms they please. Mr Ballance was formerly chairman of the Wanganui Harbor Board. It is estimated that .£3OOO, one year's borrowing under "The Loans to Local Bodies Act," will make the 12 miles of roads in the Block. The interest of this at o per cent would be secured by banking the thirds so that although a special rate would have to be struck as a security to Government for the interest, it would not be called up if Mr Lucas cau carry his proposal of capitalising the thirds into practice. It may be interesting to settlers in No. 6 Ward, and elsewhere, to know that with proper financing at the time of borrowing on the part of local bodies, special rates on special loans need not be called up, although the rate rnnst be struck as a security to Government for the loan. The next meeting of the Harbor Board Association is called for Saturday, March 19, at '6 p.m., in the Colyton Hall.