HARBOUR BOARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4363, 9 January 1922, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

COMMISSION’S REPORT. SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of the Thames Harbour Boar.d was held on Thursday night. . Present: Messi's C. XV. Harris (chairman), R. Coulter, H. O. Cooper, S. Laughlin, D. Donaldson, S A. Hetherington, A.. Bruce, J. W. Danby. The chairman said that the meeting had been called to consider matters of policy and the finding of the Harbour Commission. Questions slice as the necessity for an amendment of the board’s Bill must be discussed. The board decided to take the mat-, ter in open meeting. The chairman said that the board's solicitors had advised that certain amendments would be necessary ‘to comply with the findings of the Commission. To get the amendment through this session the standing orders of the House would have to be suspended. Mr Donaldson: That is a difficulty: Mr Bruce : You have no time for delay. It is understood that the session won’t last more than a month!, if the Bill wdre prepared and the House would not suspend the standing orders, then the measure would be ready for the opening of the next session. He had once got a Bill through under similar circumstances for the Bordugh Council. The standing orders were then suspended. Mr Donaldson asked as to the position. Had the Local Bills' Committee agreed upon the Bill? Would this new Bill give opponents an oppor-t tunity to again be heard? The Chairman: Oh, yes. There was a clause in the Empowering Bill regarding the setting up of a Commission for the area, and the rate if requested. ■. Mr Donaldson: Then this is a new Bill, and must go before the committee, and the opponents can then be heard.

Mr Cooper: Could anyone object to the Commission’s finding ? The Chairman: Oh, yes. Opponents can attend and give evidence before the Local Bills Committee.

Mr Coulter urged that the local bodies concerned should each have a copy of the Commission’s report. They were entitled to it, and he asked that more copies shojild be obtained.

The chairman said that application, had been made, but without effect yet.

Mr Coulter said that he would like to see a copy supplied, as a courtesy, to Matamata and MorrinsviUe. • Mr Hetherington agreed that - there should be no delay. If not this session, then the Bill must come up next session. If opponents caine, then the board must be prepared to place the scheme before the committee. Many people formerly in opposition were now friendly to the scheme. In these days when every penny counted, the farmers would welcome any scheme that would save even a fraction oh freights. He would move that the board’s solicitors should be instructed to prepare an amending Bill to give effect to the Commission’s finding, arid take the necessary steps to have the measure put through this session. Mr Bruce seconded the motion. Mr Donaldson supported the motion. They must take every opportunity in order to get the Bill made law.- If any party felt sore because of the finding, they might wish to oppose it. If it were proposed to at once go on with the big scheme it might arouse,, opposition that a little time might remove. The board should make every effort to get the Bill through during the coming session. The Commission was both fair and impartial, had heard all the evidence, and had giyen a careful judgments That would make it difficult f,or ,any opponents. Those who opposed the Bill would have to meet the fact that a Commission iia'd heard the case fully, and given its decisidp. Mr Coulter contended that it would be a grave blunder to attempt to force the Bill through this session. The local bodies had not received the report, and they wpuld feel that the board was trying to rusji things. Such a course would arouse opposition. The session would be a short cue, but the next session would soon follow. The opposition at the Commission was not 'organised, and it would seek another opportunity to state its case. Thon the. member for the district was cut of the country, and he might have something to. say with regard to the Government’s attitude. It would he better to have any and all objections thrashed out before the Local Bills Committee, or otherwise all the 'opposition would concentrate on the. poll. The board should consider these peo-, pie and proceed carefully.

Mr Bruce said that the Commission was appointed to do certain work. It had reported on the matters referred to it, and as a- rule the Government supported the finding, of ’a Commission. It could not logically reject the finding of the Commission. His experience was tha,t the Government adopted the finding pf a Commission; The Government would grant facilities for a Bill that gave effect to a commission’s report. The objectors had been heard, and they could no', now attack the measure.

Mr Cooper urged that nothing was to be gained by delay. This did not deal with any poll. It simply made the position clear. Mr Laughlin said that the Government would support the finding of the Commission.

Mr Danby supported the proposal. He could recognise Mr Bruce’s point that the Government could not throw over the finding of its own Commission. Unless the Bill stated that the poll should be taken at a certain time, the altered representation migut so constitute a board that could prevent a poll ever being taken. Mr Bruce said that a clause should be inserted to the effect that the increased representation should not be given effect to until a poll had been taken carrying the loan proposals. Mr Cooper contended that the farmers wanted the Bill. At the present Continued in next Column.

Continued from previous Column, time the farmers in his district were losing £9OOO annually in getting things via Auckland. . The scheme 1 would represent an actual saving tu--the individual farmer, but let it be thrashed out, a,nd let the things be. pushed on. Mr Coulter did not want an impression created that the board wanted to hurry things. There would be opposition. If the board showed that it meant to be reasonable, then that opposition might moderate. Impetuous action would. increase opposition, which was both definite and determined. The Bill could not go through this session, and in any case the measure would be held over until the Anal session. If delay were made in order to let the whole district study the matter it wpuld show the country districts that the board desired tp be just and reasonable. The chairman agreed that the Government should be asked to send ■ copies of the report to each local body concerned. The board desired to give every facility as it had nothing to hide. Mr Coulter asked that the members should be given an opportunity for further study of the finding; The motion was carried, Mr Coulter dissenting. Mr Danby moved that the amending Bill should contain a clause to the effect that only on the successful carrying of the loan poll the reconstitution of the board should take place. Mr Bruce seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Donaldson moved that letters should be sent to the local bodies, explaining what had been done by the board, and informing them that copies of the Commission’s report would be forwarded as soon as possible. The motion was carried. Mr Hetherington moved that a small committee should he appointed' to confer with the board’s solicitors regarding the amending Bill embody • ing the Commission's recommendations. A committee consisting of the chairman and the town members was appointed. In reply to Mr Coulter, the chairman said that if any matter of importance came up the Loard would be consulted. Mr Danby said that he was glad to see that Mr Coulter recognised that Thames was paying in some respects for the new order. Its representation was being reduced 50 per cent., and its rating liability increased 50 per cent. Mr Coulter replied that probably in his district the representation was . not as highly valued at in Thames.-—' ' “Star” report.