HARBOR BOARD.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1257, 24 January 1883, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

The usual meeting of the Harbor Board was held last evening at the Council Chambers. Present—Mr E. K. Brown in the chair, and Messrs Townley, Lewis, Tutchen, Smith, Tucker, Whinray, and Somervell. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. The outward correspondence was then read. The following inward correspondence was read :—

Marine Department, Wellington, Jan. 11, 1883. The Secretary Gisborne Harbor Board. Sir,- —With reference to your letter of the 15th ult., I have the honor by direction of the Minister having charge of this department, to inform you that his Excellency the the Administrator of the Government has, in pursuance of the provisions of Section 184 of the “ Harbors Act, 1878,** appointed Mr Louis Adolphus Durrien, the Provincial District Auditor at Auckland, to be Auditor of the accounts of the Gisborne Harbor Board, and that a notification of this appointment will appear in the next number of the “New Zealand Gazette.”—Yours, etc., H. 8. McKellar, Audit of Accounts. The following telegram was received from Mr L. A. Durrien, Provincial District Auditor of Auckland :—“ Secretary Harbor Board, Gisborne. —I shall be ready to audit accounts of the Board on Monday next. Please send me statements required by the Act, with the books arid vouchers. It was resolved that the books should not be forwarded, and that the Secretary telegraph to the Government to this effect. Mr Townley thought that it never could have been contemplated that the books should be sent out of the office. A telegram was also to be sent to Mr Durrien to the above effect. PAYMENTS. The claim of Messrs Harries and Lincoln was considered, but it was stated by the Secretary that the account had not been passed by the Engineer. The claim was for repairs to the cattle wharf.

Mr Whinray considered that the work should have been properly carried out under the supervision of the Engineer, and it was not for the Board to assess the difference in the amount.

The Chairman thought that the work had been carried out in the most slipshod manner, and he thought it would be advisable to allow Harries and Lincoln to come to the Board and let the question be seen into. Mr Lewis proposed, and Mr Townley seconded, thr.t the report re repairing of the wharf be adopted. After some discussion it was resolved that the question be held over. Messrs Smith, Whinray, Lewis, and Tutchen spoke on the question, Mr Tutchen said that he was sick of the question relative to the Engineer. If he had a servant that did not work for him he would very soon sack him, especially if he did not suit. He was always of opinion that the man must study the master.

Mr Carlaw Smith was inclined to be of the same opinion, and he considered that the same spirit should actuate the members of this Board in the same manner as if they were private individuals. Mr Lewis certainly thought that the Engineer should be called on to give an explanation. Mr Tutchen said he was not going to sit here and listen to this. He considered the Engineer was greatly to blame, and the Board should not pass the matter over. Mr Townley thought an opportunity should be given to the Engineer to explain. The Chairman thought that it might be as well to leave the Engineer alone, and if the work was not satisfactorily done, then they could pitch into him. Mr Somervell said he, for one, had lost all confidence in the Engineer. Mr Whinray considered that it was the duty of the Engineer to have the work carried out according to specification, and this he understood had not oeen done.

Mr Tutchen said that he did not care one button for anything that the Standard or the “ Herald ” might say on this question ; he wished the matter fully gone into, and a proper decision arrived at. The account of Messrs. Harries and Lincoln was held over for the present. It was ordered that the Engineer report at the next meeting, and see whether the specification had been properly carried out. FINANCIAL. The Chairman thought that the financial position of the Board was most unsatisfactory, as everything was going out, and nothing coming in. He considered that the Board should now lay their heads together, and see what could be done, and what they could get from the Government. It was subsequently resolved to write to the Government with reference to this matter. The Board then adjourned.