HARBOUR BOARD MATTERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 383, 9 May 1908, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD MATTERS.

On Thursday last the Chairman, of the local Chamber of Commerce telegraphed to Mr Stevens, asking .him to arrange an interview with the Minister of Marine in reference to the proposed Harbour Board Bill, in order to clear up an apparent misunderstanding in regard to the control of the local wharf. All that the promoters of the Bill ask is, that the working of the wharf shall be under the control of the Railway Department, as obtains at Patea and Wanganui, not that the wharf shall pass altogether out of the hands of the Railway Department as the Ministers appears to believe. Mr Stevens forwarded the following messages ,to Mr P. Hennessy yesterday:— “Just received your telegram, which I transmitted to the Hon. Minister for Marine, with the following addition : T am personally not aware of what the misunderstanding is respecting the wharf, and shall be greatly obliged if you can kindly arrange to meet the proposed deputation at the earliest possible date, at Wellington, say. Please reply in order that I may make the necessary arrangements for coming to Wellington.’—l would suggest that your Chamber should in case the Minister cannot meet a deputation shortly, write a letter containing a' full statement of what the misunderstanding is and how it has arisen and post it direct to the Minister at Wellington, and so save time. In any case it will place the Minister in a better position of being able to deal with the matter definitely when he meets the deputation, instead of giving the usual reply to deputations, that the matter will be looked into. I will telegraph you again when I receive the minister’s reply.—John Stevens-’’