HARBOR BOARD ELECTIONS.

Patea Mail, 15 February 1881, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD ELECTIONS.

MEETING of RETIRING BOARD. Patea Harbor Board held its final meeting yesterday prior to being reconstituted by the elections. The business was to pass the annual balance sheet, but it had not been returned by the Government auditor in time for this formality. The Board s is put in this fix, that the Act has not been complied with because a Government officer prevented that being done; and the new Board cannot be expected to pass and adopt the accounts of the old Board. Can it legally do so ? POLLING, OTOIA RIDING. The Polling at Patea yesterday for Candidates in the Otoia Riding resulted as follows, the first named being elected : H. S. Peacogk ... 94 F. O’S. McCarthy ... 80 D. Coutts ... ... 39 TOWN BOARD NOMINEES. A special meeting of the Patea Town Board was held last night for the purpose of electing two representatives as members of the Harbor Board, in accordance with the Act. There were present Messrs Milroy (in the chair), Aitchison, Taplin, Adams, Howitt, Dixon, and Sherwood. Mr Sherwood proposed that the two representatives be the same as before, Messrs Milroy and Adams. There appeared to be a disposition among a portion of the public to change the composition of the Harbor Board. These people quite ignored what the Board had done for the district. They ignored the fact that they had formerly to pay £S and £4 a ton for goods which they now got landed for 255, and this great difference had resulted from the efforts of the Harbor Board. The Board is an unpaid local body, whereas the Steam Shipping Co., which had followed in the wake of the Harbor Board, is a company which speculates to make a profit. This attempt to break up the Harbor Board was a short-sighted policy, and one he did not feel disposed to bow down to, except to this extent, that if it is the wish of the people who are gaining the benefits which the Board has obtained for them, that those benefits should cease, he would be one of the last to thrust those benefits on them. The two members he proposed for re-election had done tfieir duty eminently well. Mr Milroy ; I must ask my name to be withdrawn, for it is more than three mouths since I made up my mind that I would not again stand for the Harbo r Board. Mr Aitchison was then proposed in his stead, but declined to stand, pleading want of time. Mr Taplin was proposed, but declined. Mr Sherwood was proposed, but explained that as Government nominee he had to hold office till June, and that it was his intention to see the work handed over to successors and then withdraw. To continue this work he must have some one with him on whom he could depend. In contending with the Government or with Parliament, he did not want to play a game of chance, but a game of certainty. Mr Dixon was proposed, but declined for want of time. Mr Aitchison then consented to stand, and his name and that of Mr Adams were put to the meeting and accepted unanimously. This concluded the business. COUNTY COUNCIL NOMINEE. At an adjourned meeting of the County Council held yesterday, Mr Horner was re-elected the representative of the ri/Mi-noil r\vi fTio TT Q Av rd