GREY HARBOUR COMMISSION

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1921, Page 3

GREY HARBOUR COMMISSION

At tlie meeting of the AA’estlaud County Council this afternoon a discussion took place over the proposed Grey Harbour Commission, The Chairman asked Council for an expression of opinion of members on the subject. Personally he would be present at Greymouth though he strongly objected to tlie necessity of *o doing. So far Westland had not had any say in the expenditure they should strenuously object to the County being saddled with any future, liability. He though the best tiling they could do was to appoint a strong committee, to go and watch the interests of the district and do their utmost to place the views and interests of the district fullv before the Commission.

Mr Waul quite agreed with the chairman that it was the duty of the Parliaments to have settled the question of the rating area. The County in t.ie past had had no say'in the administration of the Grey Harbour Board. The suggestion to draw in the County of Westland as a security for debts incurred in the past was a totally unfair one. •As soon as it was possible to send the dairy produce by rail to Lyttelton, too port of Greymouth would not he wanted. They did not want any favors from Greymouth, in fact they did not want the port of Greymouth at all. Mr Jeffries agreed with Mr Ward that it was essential to be properly represented. He would he at the Commission to represent the opposition of the Okarito Harbor Improvement district, who were strenuously objecting to inclusion. He felt' they were all perfectly justified in endeavoring to the very utmost, to prevent their being included in the Grey harbour area. He wished to urge the necessity of a sitting at Hokitika to heap* the objections of the district to inclusion in the harbor area.

Mr L. H. Morel endorsed the objections made, on behalf of the farming community of the Kokatahi \ alley, and promised to supply evidence in that behalf if the Commission sat at Hokitika. Mr J. Ritchie endorsed the strong objection to inclusion of Westland in the harbor area.

Mr T. W. Duff thought the Council could safely leave the matter in the Chairman’s hands, feeling sure he was fully capable of urging the objections to inclusion in the proposed area. It was only reasonable to ask the Commission to visit Hokitika to hear evidence, of their objections to he saddied with the heavy expenditure incurred by the Grey Harbor Board in the past. The Chairman then moved:—“The Council strenuously opposes the inclusion of the County of Westland (or any portion thereof) in the proposed Grey Harbor Board rating area and that further application be made to the Commission to arrange a sitting at Holdt.ka to enable witnesses to attend and support the objection.” . Seconded bf Mr' Ward and carried.