The Globe. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 1876.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 632, 28 June 1876, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 1876.

One of the most important questions to the people of Canterbury at the present time is, without doubt, the passing of a Bill for the establishment of a Harbour Board for the management of the port of Lyttelton, and it is a matter of grave consideration, not only to the people of Christchurch and Lyttelton, but to all in the province, of what members the Board should consist, and how it should be constituted. Last Monday week the Lyttelton Borough Council, deliberating on this matter, passed a resolution expressing their willingness to co-operate with the Christchurch Chamber of Commerce to secure the passing of the Bill, but Councillor Hawkins, in stating that only two of the members should be nominated, expressed the wishes of his colleagues. The general opinion in Lyttelton seems to be that the Board should consist of seven, two to be elected by the town of Lyttelton, two by the merchants of

Christchurch, two to be nominated by the G-overnment, and the Mayor of Lyttelton as an ex officio member. This appears to be a fair division of power, as it would be decidedly unjust to form a Harbour Board in Lyttelton without some of the members represented the capital, as the port is simply the depot for the Canterbury maritime trade, though of course those residing there must of necessity possess a local knowledge of the harbour invaluable in the deliberations of such a body. It is to be hoped that members of the Board will be salaried officials, as without doubt they will have to give up a very large portion of their time, which those business men who would be most useful in conducting the matter, would be unable to give without receiving adequate remuneration. One of the greatest considerations in electing members should be that their services will be always available; the names of members of the House of Representatives, Legislative Council, or of others whose avocations would compel their absence for a considerable portion of the year, should be carefully omitted when the Board is formed, as their election would not merely be impolitic, but fraught with considerable danger to the carrying out of those objects for which the Harbour Board is constituted. There are many gentlemen whose services could be secured, who are to be found in Christchurch and Lyttelton, throughout the whole of the year, and who in intelligence and business capacity are quite equal to those who may be serving the country in other public positions. There are many exigencies arising in the course of twelve months which are of great importance, and with the dealing of which it would be desirable that a full Board should be in attendance. The Board itself, so constituted, might not possibly have so great a standing in the eyes of a few, but we feel assured that, what is lost in the absence of members whose other engagements called them away, would be mote than met by the presence of a working body of gentlemen on the spot. Without doubt, Christchurch and Lyttelton should be equally represented in a matter in which both are so vitally interested, and a Board, constituted as we have described in another part of this article, wordd fully meet this requirement.