RECENT APPOINTMENT TO HARBOUR BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 24891, 3 November 1942, Page 4

RECENT APPOINTMENT TO HARBOUR BOARD

MINISTER’S ASSURANCE An assurance that the council’s nomination for the vacancy on the Bluff Harbour Board, caused by the death of Mr A. H. Aitken, had received fullest consideration, together with other nominations received, was given by the Minister of Marine, the Hon. R. Semple, in a letter to last night’s meeting of the Gore Borough Council. The Minister’s letter was in reply to a letter from the council asking why Cr G. C. Hamilton, who was nominated by the Gore and Mataura borough councils, was not appointed to the vacancy. “First, I desire to say that nominations from other bodies were received for this vacancy and after the most careful consideration it was decided to appoint Mr J. W. Ingram (Mataura) to the position,” stated the Minister’s letter. “I should like it to be clearly understood that there was no question of the nomination from the boroughs not being accorded consideration, but on the other hand I am unable to agree that your nomination, or any other for that matter, should have priority other than that determined by the careful consideration of all nominations. “All these appointments are made from time to time by the Government, and as it is not customary, nor has it ever been, to discuss the basis upon which, the appointment is made or the bodies nominating the successful appointee, I am unable to accede to the council’s request to be advised of the name of the body which nominated Mr Ingram.” , , . .... “It must have taken him a while to think that said Cr P. R. MalCr G. C. Hamilton said he would like to point out that it was altogether a wrong procedure, as far as he could understand, that other bodies had the right to send a nomination when the vacancy concerned only the boroughs of Gore and Mataura. “From what I can hear in the town a Labour secietary put through a personal call to a Cabinet Minister asking him if he would accept a Labour nomination,” Cr Hamilton said. “Evidently he agreed. If that is Mr Semple’s idea of democracy, things are coming to a pretty pass. The leter was received.