CONFERENCE MEETING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 80, 1 March 1884, Page 2

CONFERENCE MEETING.

The second meeting of the Conference of the members of the County and Borough Council for the special purpose of definitely arranging the reconstruction of the Harbor Board, together with a scheme and Empowering Bill for harbor improvements, took place in the Council Chambers last night. Present—His Worship the Mayor (Capt. T. W. Porter), in the chair; and Councillors Townley, Tucker, Chambers, Ferris, Gannon, Lewis, Hepburn, Joyce, Johnson, and Smith. The Chairman opened the proceedings by stating the objects of the last Conference meeting, and said the Clerk would read the report of the Committee. The report was then read as follows :— To the Conference of the Cook County Council. Gentlemen—We have the honor to report to you as follows :— That the Committee appointed by the Conference met on the 13th instant and finally adopted the attached Bill as amended. No decision was arrived at as to the necessary qualifications of persons desirous of being ejected to the Board, but your Committee would take the liberty of suggesting the following as appearing to them to best satisfy the apparent views of the great majority of your Committee. Any adult male resident in the Borough or in the County of Cook, who shall not be under any of the disqualifications specified in sections 1,2, 3,4, of clause 61 of the “ Municipal Corporations Act, 1876.” Your Committee is sensible of the difficulty of defining the limits of the proposed Harbor district for rating and elective purposes, and would recommend, for the consideration of the Conference, the propriety of discussing that difficulty, it being of opinion that perhaps the fairest plan to the Cook County would be to retain the whole of the Cook County. Your Committee would further suggest the alteration of the fourth column of the fourth schedule as follows:—Four members to be elected by the electors of the Harbor district.

We have the honor to be, gentlemen, your i obedient servants, J W. K. Chambers. W. J. Gangon. > W. H. Tucker. * The Chairman then read the Bill as follows:— 1. The short title of this Act is “ The Gisborne Harbor Board and Harbor Construction Empowering Act, 1884.” 2. It shall be lawful from time to time for the said Gisborne Harbor Board to borrow by debentures in the form of the third schedule hereto for a period not exceeding thirty years a sum not exceeding £200,000 at the rate of — per cent, per annum, as the said Board may require for the construction of such works as specified in the first schedule hereto. 3. The said debentures together with interest shall be a first charge on the land and hereditaments described in the second schedule hereto, or the lands hereafter vested in the said Board, and the rents thereof and the dues chargeable and receivable by the said lands and harbor works constructed thereon. 4. The necessity for the construction of a Harbor of Refuge for the East Coast being recognised by the Government of the Colony, they do in aid thereof grant unto the said Board all that block of land as the same is described in the second schedule hereto, such land to be deemed an endowment for all the purposes of this Act, and do further grant from the land fund of the County a sum of 25 per cent, on the County. 5. The Board, after the passing of this Act, may make and levy a rate upon all rateable property in the Borough of Gisborne and County of Cook or Harbor District, not exceeding one half-penny in the £1 of the rateable value of all such property within such district, subject to the “ Rating Act, 1882.” The proceeds of such rate shall be applied towards payment of the annual cha.iges to accrue in respect of any loans raised unddr the Act, or any sinking-fund which may be arranged to be set aside upon the floating of the said loan, and the balance, if any, shall be paid into the Harbor Fund. Provided the Board so desires, it may pay such annual charges out of its ordinary revenue, and in any year which it does so pay it shajjl not be necessary to levy the said special rate. 6. That in order to provide for a wider representation under this Act, Section 5 of the Gisborne Harbor Act is hereby repealed, and a new Board constituted, as set forth in the Schedule hereto. 7. The provisions of the Harbor /Yet, 1878, and amendment thereof, for the repayment of loans and the remedies of debenture-holders shall be, and be deemed to be incorporated herein and such further provisions of the said Act as shall be applicable for the protection of lenders of money to the Harbor Board.

FIRST SCHEDULE. The construction of, at or near the site reported upon by Sir John Coode, a breakwater to afford refuge and accommodation for vessels of large tonnage, and to reclaim and use such portions of the foreshore as may be necessary by the construction of such works. SECOND SCHEDULE. All that parcel of land described in the Schedule to “The Gisborne Harbors Act, 1882,” and all that parcel of land situated in the Tologa Bay District known as Tauwhareparae Block, containing by admeasurement acres. THIRD TCHEDVLE. Gisborne Harbor Board Loan, 1584, of £200,000, number debenture for £ Payable in Issued by the Gisborne Harbor Board'under an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand, entitled “ The Gisborne Harbor Board Harbor Construction Empowering Act, 1884.” Secured on certain lands and harbor funds named in the said Act. On presentation of this debenture at , on and after the day of , 1914, the bearer hereof will be entitled to receive £ and, in the meantime, interest at the rate of £ , by half-yearly payments, and interest on the debentures will cease after the day when the payment falls due, unless default be made in payment. Issued under the seal of the Gisborne Harbor Board. Chairman, Treasurer, FOURTH SCHEDULE. Number of members, nine. Three to be nominated by Government, two (Mayor of Gisborne and Chairman of Cook Count Council) by succession, and two to be elected by Borough, and two by County Council. Cr. Gannon moved, “ That that portion of the report which related to the election of members should be adopted.” Cr. Chambers said the recommendation contained in the report had been made with a view of giving a full representation to the County and Borough. He thought that it would be better to elect the four members conjointly. Cr. Joyce asked that the clause as amended be read, which having been done, Cr. Johnson moved, as an amendment, “ That two be elected by the Borough and two by the County.” He took it that it would be far more satisfactory that the clause stand as printed in the schedule to the Bill. Cr. Weston seconded the amendment. Cr. Tucker said, as so many Borough ratepayers were County ratepayers, there could be no difficulty as to both recording their vdtes with equal facility. Cr. Johnson said Borough ratepayers had far more facilities for voting than County ratepayers, as the latter invariably lived scattered about. Very few voters in the County recorded their votes. Cr. Chambers said County voters seldom troubled themselves, but let those get in who could. Those who neglected to vote were not worth troubling about. He advocated letting the voting be conjointly by Borough and County. Cr. Gannon said the Sub-Committee had fully considered the matter. The main argument was that they wanted members who would attend meetings. The Committee had recommended the alteration with a view of allowing the members of the County an opportunity of voting for a town resident for the Board. Of course, the voting would only extend to the defined harbor district.

The Chairman thought the Commiteee’s suggestion a very good one, as there would only be the one harbor district. A few further remarks having fallen from Cr. Chambers upon this question, Cr. Joyce took exception to Cr. Chambers describing the place as “ the Sodom of the North.” Cr. Chambers explained that he had used the term only as eminating from our enemies. Cr. Johnson, seeing the Conference was so much against the amendment, would withdraw it; but he certainly must record his objection to the motion. Cr. Townley called attention to the fact that a fresh roll would have to be compiled if a part of the County was to be cut off, and a special Harbor Board district constituted. It was resolved to let the question of qualification stand over until a further stage of the proceedings. Cr. Joyce was of opinion that six members should be elected by voters, and that the Chairman of the County and Borough Council should not be ex officio members. Cr. Tucker said this had all been considered and passed at the previous meeting. Cr. Joyce then moved as an amendment, “ That there be no ex officio members, but that six members be elective.” The Chairman thought this a most unusual course, as the Chairmen of these bodies always added weight and support to any such body. Cr. Joyce withdrew his amendment and the original motion was then put, and carried unanimously. Cr. Chambers then moved, and Cr. Tucker seconded, “ That the Harbor Board district be defined between the southern boundary of the County to the southern boundary of Anaura Bay to the north-western boundary of the County.”

Cr. Gannon objected to this boundary, and thought the easiest way of getting out of this difficulty was to admit the whole County. He would propose, “ That the Harbor District include the Borough of Gisborne and the whole of the Cook County.” The Chairman seconded this amendment. Cr. Tucker pointed out that certain portions of the County had no interest in the harbor, as they exported their own produce. Cr. Gannon explained that the Hawke’s Bay Harbor Board included three remote counties—Waipawa, Wairoa, and Hawke’s Bay. Cr. Hepburn thought that the whole County should be included. Cr. Smith was of opinion that, if anything could be advanced in favor of harbor extension, it was on account of getting all the shipping trade of the coast, and, consequently, the obtaining of all their goods at a cheaper rate. He certainly agreed with Cr. Gannon. Cr. Joyce differed with the.last speaker, as he was sure that certain people up the Coast would always go to the Auckland market. He did not see why people who derived no benefit from the harbor should be taxed for its improvement. The Chairman, being greatly concerned in the part proposed to be cut off, must say that he objected to such being done. The harbor would certainly improve all the property of the County. The great complaint at present was that Gisborne merchants could not compete with Auckland ; but that did not matter, as people would always go to the cheapest market. He should support Cr. Gannon’s amendment to include the whole County. Cr. Chambers failed to see how the harbor would benefit remote parts. On the amendment being put it was carried, there being but three dissentients. The Chairman thought it better to fix the qualification. Cr. Gannon proposed, “ That the qualification for voting for the Harbor Board be the same as that required for voting for members of the local bodies.” Cr. Smith having seconded the same, the motion was put and carried, r n' 1 * 3 l^s^ ie P rov i s io n s of the The Chairman suggested that the Bill be now put into the hands of a legal gentleman for proper drafting, and then given to our member. Cr. Gannon explained that if the Bill was at once placed in the hands of our member, the properly constituted person at Wellington would put it into proper shape. The Bill being a local one would require advertising. He thought the Chairmen of the two locai bodies should communicate with the Government, informing them of the reasons for wishing for the proposed reconstruction and alterations, and asking their assistance in forwarding the Bill through the House.

A resolution to this effect was carried. Cr. Smith proposed, “ That the Bill be placed in the hands of a lawyer for the purpose of revising the same.” Cr. Tucker proposed “ That we have nothing to do with the lawyers.” The Chairman proffered to see all the necessary alterations made, and then to forward the bill to the hands <of onr member. Ho also wished them to consider whether it

would not be best to appoint someone to foster the Bill and obtain the opinion of the Government. Cr. Joyce though our own Member would do all that was necessary, and take all charge of the Bill.J He (our Member) was most energetic in all such matters. Cr. Gannon thought that if the Mayor and the Chairman were to support our Member when the Bill was in Committee, it would tend greatly to the success of the movement. Cr. Smith thoroughly agreed with this, and would suggest the names of his Worship, the Chairman of the Cook County Council, and Crs. Gannon and Tucker. Cr. Gannon thought the Government ought to be most civil as it was their last term. It was further resolved that Capts. Tucker and Ferris be appointed to prepare all statistics, <fcc., for the deputation. It was also resolved to write to Sir George Whitmore and Sir R. Johnson, asking their assistance in pushing the bill through the House. This having also been agreed to, terminated the business of the Conference. TURANGANUI BRIDGE. After the termination of the Conference business, his Worship enquired of the Chairman of the County Council whether that body had arrived at any decision re the Turan ganui Bridge. Mr. Chambers was sorry to say that, on account of there having been no quorum, the Council had been unable to take the matter into consideration. His Worship remarked that he hoped the County would give the matter its favorable consideration. It appeared that the only obstacle to such a desirable end was the straitened pecuniary state of the County exchequer; but, sooner than allow the grant to lapse, he was perfectly willing to allow himself to be doubly rated so as to make up the requisite sum. He also kuew several other gentlemen who would agree to the same thing sooner than lose the money. He made this offer because it was beyond the power {of any private persons, even if they contributed the whole sum, to obtain the balance required under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. This alone could be done through the properly-constituted local bodies. He was determined, if possible, to prevent the loss of the money granted by Government. After some further discussion, the question was postponed until the opinion of the County Council could be obtained. This completed the business of the evening.