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South Canterbury Times, Issue 2854, 18 May 1882, Page 2

To-morrow evening our townsmen will be called together to consider the present position and future interests of the port. This is what the programme very vaguely says. However, judging from the prevailing opinions freely expressed outside, we are inclined to expect that things the reverse of complimentary will be said of the Harbor Board. We do not pity that body ; as we said yesterday we hope to sec it castigated until it cries for mercy. Without going further into the sins of omission and commission of which this particular Board has been guilty, we desire to strengthen the hands of those who have the real interests of the port at heart, by saying at once and plainly, we are irreconcilably opposed to the existence of any such excrescence as a nominated body, It is not for the first time that we have discovered that a Board of nominees is synonymous with a Board of incapables, the members represent no public opinion, are responsible to no public opinion. If they choose to make a bear-garden of their meeting-room, the public may cry shame through the bars, but they cannot haul out the obnoxious bear. " These men may do just as they like provided they conform to the statutes by which they live, move, and have being. Nobody believes in nominated Boards, nobody among the general public has any feeling but contempt for them or expects anything from them but muddle and obstruction. When some big blunder is made, nobody is surprised :everyone shrugs his shoulders and says “ What could be expected?” Now., wo ask, is it right that the welfare of the Port should be at the merc;p of a body in whom the general public have no confidence ? If these men occupy their scats by a sort of divine right, and there is absolutely no power that can remove them, might it not be put to them in these terms ; —‘‘ Here is a resolution of a public mooting assented to by representatives of every industry in this community

expressing entire dissatisfaction with your management of the important interests entrusted to you. You are adjudged incapable. You have meant well, doubtless, but your whole line of conduct Las been old womanish and weak and vacillating. You may, if you please, retain your seats. From these no power can remove you. But you will distinctly understiand that your doing so is an offence againstdecency, since the people who now' regard you with contemptuous pity, will, if you retain your seats, look upon you with unspeakable scorn and impatience. We do not wish 1 to hurt your feelings, gentlemen, but pray*; accept this expression of feeling as’' positively true, though by no means complimentary,” Would the Board stick to office after this ? We fancy not. And now if our representatives want to do some real good this session they will boldly attack the nominee business, denounce it as a curse and an obstruction, and they will carry popular feeling with them irresistibly, We hope that to-morrow night the speakers will not be mealy-mouthed, but wlil put their sentiments into plain and telling language.