The New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY). WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1879.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5684, 18 June 1879, Page 2

The New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY). WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1879.

The question of the formation of a Wellington Harbor Board has been so often under discussion of late that but for the importance of the subject we might well refrain from further reference to it. The fact of Sir G. Grey having completely disappointed the Chamber of Commerce when on Monday last he threw that body over in favor of the City Council will, however, excuse our going over the old ground once more, and examining the latest arguments adduced in favor of Mr. Hutchison’s theory by one whose position as the Premier of New Zealand must lend weight to the opinions brought forward by him. Wo desire to avoid all reference to the manifest discrepancy which has been laid bare between the impression conveyed by Sir G. Grey upon tho minds of the deputation of the Chamber of Commerce at their first interview and the statements published yes terday. We regre t that owing to the exclusion of the Press at the first deputation no authentic record of what passed can bo brought forward as evidence. Tho question of tho formation of a Harbor Board is important enough to merit tho exclusion of matters of minor moment, such as tho want of consistency apparently displayed by the Premier.

Tho arguments advanced by Sir G. Grey in favor of the appointment of the City' Council as a Harbor Board for Wellington, may be thus stated—First: “From what he had learned in the last “ few days he believed Parliament would “ be in favor of charging the municipality “ with it” (i.e., the management of the port.) Secondly ; He doubted whether members from a distance would attend the meetings of the Board, and “ he be- “ lieved the more duty was imposed upon “ the municipality, the higher would be “ the class of people found to beoomo “ members of the Council.” With all due regard for the authority of the Premier, we believe the assertion that Parliament would be in favor of charging the municipality with the management of the port to be altogether unfounded. A Bill was brought before the Upper House last session for the formation of a Nelson Harbor Board to be composed of the City Council, and it was strongly opposed by the Legislative Council. The arguments then brought forward would be used with greatly increased force in respect to a harbor of far more importance. Upon that occasion Mr. Waterhouse is reported in “Hansard” to have said, that “Members of a Cor- “ poration wore elected to that particular “ position generally because of their capabi- ‘ ‘lity to discharge certain distinct functions, “of a character entirely different from “ those connected with the functions of “ a Harbor Board. They might be very “ good Municipal Councillors, and yet “ very bad members of a Harbor Board.” And the Hon. Mr. Edwards, who was in charge of the Bill, admitted that he himself'‘Glid not altogether approve of tho “ constitution of the Board,” and the Bill was shelved; but not without a strong expression of feeling having been elicited against any such proposal. The feeling in tho Lower House was even more strongly expressed in connection with the Te Are reclamation, and we are confident that Parliament would scout the very idea of increasing the duties of the City Council, which is already overworked. In respect to the second part of the Premier’s arguments, we may point out that tlie members of the Education Board are .found to be fairly regular in attending the Board: meetings -in Wellington, the distance being much the same as that proposed for the country members of the Harbor Board.; The issues at stake are Inb less important, and there would probably be no necessity for frequent general •meetings. We are quite at a loss to divine ; in what way an increase' of duty could atld to the attractions of tlie office of City- Councillor, unless some far more substantial inducements in the way of remunefation could be tacked on to the proposal. If tlie members of the City Council could be charged with the duties of the Education Board; College management, &0., (fee., according to Sir G. Grey that body might then command the services of a very much higher class of people jthan now occupies the Council Chamber. idea is a novel one, and if it could be carried out quickly we miglit possibly live to seo.our present Premier aspiring to the Mayoralty of the city, andundertaking the minor duties of President of the Harbor Board and Chairman of the Educa. tion Board in addition.

. < The City Councillors will not fail to observe'that' the Premier contemplates their replacement by what he designates “a class of people.” If Parliament should agree to appoint the City Council a Harbor Board, Sir G. Grey implies that it) would be done with a view of inducing quite a superior class of men to offer to undertake the duties. In fact, the Premier seems anxious to make the City ■Council a Harbor Board, in the hope of thereby improving the Council outofexistence. The compliment is a very lefthanded one, and we are inclined to doubt whether the councillors will quite appreciate it.

?! iTha members of the Chamber of Commerce are in the course «f business constantly brought into contact with questions of harbor management; the members of the City Council, as such, are not. The merchants know that if Wellington does not offer advantages to the New Zealand shipping trade equal to those given elsewhere, commerce will be diverted to other places. The City Council recognises the fact, but declares itself unable to do anything to mend matters. The members of the Chamber of Oommere are quite as anxious as the Council can be for the prosperity of the city ; if a Harbor Board, such as is proposed by the Chamber is formed, the members can have but one undivided object, viz., the advancement of the port; they: would be quite free to secure it by increasing the facilities of shipping and landing, and by lowering the harbor dues and charges to the lowest possible limit. It is quite'impossible for the City Council to undertake such reforms without being tampered by considerations of rates and ratepayers.

If Wellington is allowed to compete on equal terms with the other chief ports of New Zealand, she has been so splendidly endowed by nature that she can enter

inlo the competition without any fear of rivals. Handicapped with the dead weight of a City Council, her advantages are liable to be neutralised by conflicting interests, and might bo sacrificed for the benefit of the ratepayers. Nelson, Wanganui, Napier, and Taranaki, are even now trying to secure a direct trade by improving their harbor accommodation; and by maintaining high rates and affording insufficient accommodation at Port Nicholson, Wellington is aiding them in their efforts to foster their own trade at her expense Three city Councillors out of four know little or nothing of the requirements of commerce, or of harbor management, as they have been elected without any reference to their qualifications for undertaking any such duties; consequently harbor questions assume a secondary importance in their eyes. This will always be the case, no matter how high a class of candidates might bo secured by the inducement proposed to be offered in the form of additional duties, without pay.