The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1878.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 172, 19 August 1878, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1878.

The Nelson Harbor Board Bill has passed the House of Representatives, is not likely to meet with any opposition in the Legislative Council, and will come into force on the Ist January next. Under its authority the City Council is constituted the Harbor Board for this port, and is vested with considerable powers, including all those which the Superintendent was authorised to exercise under the 30th, 31st, and 32ud sections of " The Marine Act, 1867," namely, to license watermen; to license and appoint officers to inspect ballast boats, tank boats, cargo boats, and lighters employed in landiug or embarking cargo, passengers, &c.; to carry out and enforce the regulations concerning the berthing of vessels at wharves and docks; to carry out and enforccall regulatious of the Governor in Council concerning docks and wharves; to impose and lery rates, dues, and charges for the use of docks, wharves, &c ; to carry out and enforceallllarborand Quarantine regulations &c. With many the question will arise whether the City Council is a body to which should be entrusted the control of the port, which surely requires the possession of some special knowledge of harbor matters on the part of those who undertake it. At present a candidate coming forwardforelectionwho would pledge himself, say, to the reduction of the price of gas would carry the day against one who, there might be every reason to believe, would prove a most able administrator of the Harbor Board Act, but did not happen to have any very pronounced views on the gas tariff. To some extent this drawback — for drawback it will undoubtedly prove— to the successful working of the Act, might be remedied by the division of the town into

wdrdsi when the Port distr&t wottld probably take care to be represented by 6'ne who tfftg n'ot dltogeth.er ignorant b'r the duties he was dbodt to undertake Tjie fund to lie placed At tile disposal, of tbts Bdatd for HdiM parHose's will consist or tiioiieyS iirtelh 1 * tidmiUti following sources:— (i) All pilotage ratas and port charts which for the time b'ein* shall bb le|-!ed in respeKt.ot the port nhder the autnonty of "The MaHlie Ad, l&j*." dr. by any Act amending the same aud 'receivable by. the Board! (2j wharfage rates' (1) Harbor improrenib'lit rate; {h reijts rind profits ofland.Vested in the Board { (oj ££oceeds and profits of land set aside as eiidO'wUieiits; (C) moneys received by way ot lb'an as provided by this Act| (7) a!! other moneys which may b'e received by or become the Property 61 thfe Boiird; , Tiie Board vHll also 1 have power to raise oh debentures A Mn of loans, not exceeding in the whole £500d, for' harbor works. The endowment of the Board consists of the whole of the foreshore situated below high water mark from Mackay'a Bluff to the entrance of the harbor, subject, however, to a mortgage to Mr Cawthron for £ J 5,000.