HARBOUR BOARD DIFFICULTIES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 210, 21 September 1937, Page 6

HARBOUR BOARD DIFFICULTIES

Interest in the proceedings at yesterday's meeting of the Napier Harbour Board centred round the discussion on the proposed legislation »authorising the Board to raise an extra £82,750, which the qhairman says is required to enable completion of the work of constructing the Breakwater Harbour now in progress. As this means an increase of just on 20 per cent. on the estimate on which the ratepayers gave their consent to the work being undertaken, it is a matter of some serious concern to them and one upon which they are certainly entitled to full intormation. So far all they have to go on is a bare statement by the chairman that the need for this extra loan arises from "the increased coustruction costs ruling since 30th. June, 1936," it being indicated that for this increase higher wages rates and shorter working hours are mainly responsible. This is all very well so far as it goes, but it must surely be seen that some little more detailed informaion than this is due to the ratepayers, who are in the last recourse responsible for finding the interest and sinking fund upon this new loan. It is- therefore not out of the way to suggest that this is an entirely appropriate time for the Board to lay before the ratepayers detailed accounts showing the amount of expendijture up to date and estimates of the further expenditure contemplated, indicating in each case the several items of the scheme upon which the money has been or is intended to be spent. By doing this the Board would no doubt be able to dissipate uneasy feelings that have been widely aroused by possibly unfounded rumours and reports that are going about. If the Local Bills Committee of the House does its duty when the new authorising Bill is submitted, it ■ will ask for these details, and there seems no reason why they should not be supplied also to the ratepayers who are mainly concerned. It will be seen, too, that it is only now that the Board is seeking statutory authority for the diversion to wharf construction and dredging of £70,000 originally appropriated to the construction of the western mole which the advisory engineers, Messrs. Furkert and Holderness, seemed in their original report, to consider as an essential part of the scheme. We are told that this diversion has been made with their approval, but as yet no information has been given as to why they so quickly changed their minds with regard to an item of such substantial magnitude. So the ratepayers may well ask for the publicatioii also of these engineers' supplementary report, upon which the Board considered itself justihed in making this important diversion. As a matter of fact, it is probably correct to say that a goodly part of this amount has already been spent on work that was not submitted to the ratepayers when the loan poll was taken, so that the present seeking of authority foi its diversion seems a little belated. With regard to the further loan authorisation now sought, it is generally understood that the ratepayers are not to be consulted in any way. .Then, again, if is said that the Board is now acting on the recommendations of its own engineer, also approved by Messrs. Furkert and Holderness. Is there any good reason why the reports containing such recommendations and approval should not also be made available to the ratepayers and the public? There is, furthermore, the suggestion raised by Mr. Jull at yesterday's meeting— and supported by a reading of Messrs Furkert and Holdierness's original report — that the abandonment of the western mole will mean the mosquito fleet of the port being left without a place of shelter unless it is provided for them at the Inner Harbour. To this suggestion, on a matter of very considerable moment to fishermen-and many others, no reply woulf appear to have been given. Thus in very many respects a stage has been reached when the Board should be expected to take the ratepayers and the public into its confidence and tell them exactly how matters stand. This is especially the case since the chairman himself confesses to uncertainty, not to say misgiving, with regard to the future.