HARBOR BOARD AFFAIRS-RAILWAY SIDINGS.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8170, 30 April 1895, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD AFFAIRS-RAIL-WAY SIDINGS.

I The Hon. Mr Codman, Minister fo Minos, etc., nvt a d^p>iti\t on of tlio liarb r Board yeste day af tor noon on his arrival in Oa-naru Th ro we>e present : Messrs Homes (Chairman), Miluo, D.rImg, Ro-sp, Allan, Mook, Wnddoll. mid Shrinvk 1 . The subject was tho resolution of the Guvernm nt to charge for siding*, and Mr A. M'Odllum, of MeSoM M'Callumand Co., was also present. Mr Holmes pointed out Unit h large store fe'l into tho hands of tho Botrd, which w ia let at L7O a ypar, and tho ritesr ites on that building; were L3O a yeir, so ihat there was only L4O a y<ar left. If, then, the Board had to p y L5O for a sidmg. the Boa-id would be losing LlO a yoar by holding tint store. The itoud's tenants ha ' pu chised tho leaso of tho sections with tho asburance that the u o of hidings would ba free ; and ns these sections fell hi next December it would affeot tho reveuuo of the Board, and m terially aflect the position of the Botrd towards the Government to whom the Board was indeb'ed. Mr Miliu* p tntjcl out that Mr Duncan, tho member for the dihtnct, h id received an assurance from the Premier that th > cha<go for tho sidings would not be mulo. Mr Duncan explained that it was tho intont'on of tho Premier • li »t th • (tidings should bo freo ; bub the Premier hid said that theGorernment coul 1 not do .ny hing during tho Coinmi^ioners' terai of office, but ho had tho Comm ssiotui's assurance that they would leave tho mat: or in aboyanct> dur ng their t« rm of office. Mr Meok aaid he had boen singled out for special attention in the matter, and ho had paid L 125 in rent for a siding, but it was an understood thing that the sidings wore freo to the tenants before the rents were sod The sidings had oost the ! Government nothing, save the putting in of points. For 17 years no charge was made, then he wns singled out. Tho Govrrnment had taken a strip of lind from tho Board where tho railwiy station was, for which the Board received no consideration for save the freo sidings for all tune. Mr Meek gave in documentary ovidmice signed by Messrs Steward, Miller and Sumpter, members and chairman of the Board, to substantiate the position. After some further discussion, Mr Cad m, hi said this was a Cabinet question They had othor sidings, and if they laid down n rue ib would have to apply to a.. Thoro was a largo revenue from sidings, and it was important tha it should not bo swept away. If ao ncession wore granted to ono it would bo granted to all. Mr Meek pointed out that it was recognised th'it it would bo a niu'ual ben* ft' to have these sidings to «ho Boird'a proporty, and would bmiefit the tonant and the Railway Depar mont. Mr Cadman said the Government recognised the impecunious position of tho Board, and they had no desire to inakn matters worse. They m'ghfc auo a way of meeting thd Bamd'a p >sitiou without prejudicing or compromising (ho position of the oiliLr Government sidii gs in tho colony. The whole of the sidings throughout tho colony brought in L4OOO -» year. Mr Ro o said tho position of the whole of the othor tidings was probably not sna'-igoua to the Oaniaru Harbor Board's •Id'tngs. Mr Cadman : There were sidings tint had not been properly arranged for in the past ; and he had received applica'ions for reconsideration. Ib was not likely that business men would mako an ar rangemont for all time. Mr Meek said tho land was given to the Government for all time, and why not the sidinga. Mr Cadmau : That seems tho strongest point made by tho 80-trd. Mr Meek also said that ho had never found an answer to this question : Why should tho Government ome into communicaion with tho tenants of the Board, sot ing the tenants of tho Board obtained iho eiJinga from the Board, understanding that the siding was included in the rent. Mr Cadman said that ib did not matter who paid. I r would bo an arrangement betvtoen the Board and their tenants. Mr M'Callum said there were throe people on his Compiny's siding, and the Government had a section thoro as well for which the firm of M'OiUum and Co. p iid L5O a year. Tt was used as a timber yard. Mr Cadman took a note of this, and Mr Sbrtmski said that that pieoo of land recently belonged to the town, and was taken by the Government, and the revenue tho Government received should bo tho town's.