The Proposed Harbour Board.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 272, 17 August 1906, Page 2

The Proposed Harbour Board.

FURTHEB DISCUSSED BY THE KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

At the last meeting of tbe local County Council, the above question was again opened by tbe reading of tbe following letter : “ Dear Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of yours of July 14th, in which you state that ‘ the Council having heard that a petition is said to have been sent to you. asking that a Harbour Board be formed in Kawhia, will bo glad if you will forward a copy, eto ’l In reply I have to state that I have not received any petition re the matter referred to. A resident of Kawhia some three months ago wrote me on the subject and sent a draft of what he believed would be a suitable Bill, but I have never interfered ia the matter of a Kawhia Harbour Board in any way, eithe.* directly or indirectly, and the communication referred to has never been out of my po-scsilon nor shown anyone. I have, of course, seen by reports of the Council meetings iu the Kawhia Settler that statements have from time to t.ime been made that a petition had been sent me, but, as I have already said, 1 have never seen a petition on the subject, and am pleased to have been afforded this opportunity to deny tho report.—Yours faithfully, H. J. Gukkhslade.” Cr M'Cardle understood that it was simply a letter that had been forwaided. He believed that a private individual had sent Mr Greeuslade a draft of a Bill.

Cr Babbage : It is a cheek for any private individual to do so. Cr W. Shaw remarked that things were in a most unsatisfactory etate, and the Oonncil should try and come to some definite understanding instea I of allowing the matter to remain at a standstill. The Council wanted to do what the ratepayers desired and had n _> axe to grind or ambition to secure the control of the harbour, but simply to see progress. There had been no answer to the last communication to the department on this subject. The Chairman : We cannot expect one as things were upset through Mr Seddon’s death. Cr Jonathan remarked that at a recent meeting of Kawhia ratepayers it was resolved that a properly constituted Harbour Board be formed. The motion was carried not with any spirit of opposition to the Council, but simply as a recommendation to that boly. Cr W. Shaw did not mind opposition if it was above board. The Harbour Board’s boundaries would extend further than the County, as there was a big area benefited by the harbour outside their territory. He believed that if the County moved for a Harbour Board opposition would be shown and the matter hung up for two or three years as the Cocnty was. When be first moved in the matter be thought that if tbe harbour was vested in the Council it would ba more satisfactory than the trustees and they could work for the Harbour Board. If tbe Council thought ‘it best to move for a Harbour Board he would support that.

Cr M‘Cardle said he had recommended that Messrs Shaw and Jonathan should be appointed trustees in the place of Mr Pearson, who was going to resign, and Mr Hustler, on ac count of him living such a distance away. Cr Shaw : It is time something was done. The settlers are already going to the expanse of building sheds for goods which is not fair. Or M'Cardle : A petition for the formation of a Harbour Board must lie on the table of tbe House for three months before the Session.

Or Babbage : Yes; that would mean hanging it up for twelve months. If the harbour were vested in the Council we could go in for improvements right away. It appears to me that some of the Kawhia people think that the Council want to stick to it for all time. Cr Sbaw knew of certain people who had written to the Minister of Marine objecting to the Council having control of the harbour, but when the position was explained withdrew the opposition. Or Babbage remarked that if the Council had not taken the matter up it would have remained in the hands of the trustees and not a word would have been beard. It was eventually resolved, on the motion of Crs Shaw and Babbage, M That seeing tbit tbe Wharf Trust is practically defunct, owing to two of the raembe's leaving- Kawhia, the Marine Department bo asked to take action and vest tbe harbour in the Kawhia County Council, pending the formation of a properly constituted elective Harbour B jard, steps towards which end the Council propose to take at once.”