The Globe. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 784, 26 December 1876, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1876.

The ratepayers of the city of Christchurch, members of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Selwyn County Councillors will be called on in a few days to exercise a most important privelege, viz., to elect the members of the newly-consti-tuted Harbour Board for Lyttelton. The Borough of Lyttelton has already exercised its privilege, by returning Mr. Murray-Aynsley unopposed. In this article" it is not our intention to discuss the merits of the candidates who have come forward for the various seats, but to give an outline of the duties the Board will be called on to perform, so that the electors may judge for themselves of the qualifications of the different candidates. The Board is to consist of ten members, two elected by the members of the Chamber of Commerce from amongst themselves, two elected by the Selwyn County Council, two elected by the ratepayers of the City of Christchurch, one elected by the Borough of Lyttelton, the Mayor of that borough being a member ex officio, and two appointed by the Governor. Such a mode of appointment should secure the representation of all the interests concerned in the welfare of the Port of Lyttelton. The seven members who are elected hold office for three years from the Ist of January- They have the management of the harbor fund, which consists of moneys arising from the following sources : Wharfage rates, harbor improvement rates, rent and profit of land vested in the Board, moneys received by way of loan as provided by this Act, and all other moneys which may become the property of the Board. The harbor improvement rate is not in any case to exceed two shillings per ton by weight or by measurement levied upon all goods and merchandise discharged at or shipped from the port. The work entrusted to the care of the Board is of s most important character. It has power to reclaim from the sea any land which may be vested in it. It may construct breakwaters, embankments, dock s - quays, wharves, &c, and maintain such d. r e d g es and machinery as shall be by the 3«ard considered necessary for the requirement? of the port, and do all other work which shall by the Board be deemed necessary for the convenience and reception of vessels resorting to the port. The borrowing powers of the Board are limited to £IOO,OOO, and the ’nterest upon their loans is not to *- 1 G per cent, and the principal exceed v. ma de a first charge and interest ai._ > - harbor f uu d. upon all moneys in the 0 f It will thus be seen that the dun,.-,

the proposed Board are of a most extensive character, and on tha manner in which they perform their work, will largely depend the welfare of this part of the colony. Lyttelton must always be the port for a large portion of the provincial district of Canterbury. If every facility is afforded importers and exporters, we may hope to compete successfully with those places where a more liberal system has hitherto been in force. .