The Daily News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1903 HARBOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 84, 9 February 1903, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1903 HARBOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION.

In reply to our remarks regarding figures quated at the Etham Farmers' Union, M> Pailaoe published a letter ia the Ha* en Slav, in the coursa of ivli'ch be stroagly objects to the Gov n meot noiaiuation of snembsra, aud considers they are no more eiry in the case of the Harbour Board than on CLunty Councils or Road Boards. He further publishes a letter which he received from the Secretory of the Hatbour Board giving the figures used at the Eitham Farmers' Union m f eting ; but as the latter ia dated 16th May, 1902, it doubtless explains tho ihft'mvLce between the figures contained in i h , and thus# supplied us by the Chairman of the Harbour Board on Tufsiay Isst. Mr Parlano also siys : " I aifio gather that our New Plymouth friend, with that benignant air which always pprvadus his columns, is of opinion (hit the present position (division of districts) is inavoidable. Yery good, but let ma tell him that the surest way to get the New Plymouth harbour improved is to csnciiiats the settlers of this end, assist us to gat the representation to which our population, our trade, and our ruteible values entitles us to. Do not try fo domineer over us. We need not recriminate as to whose fault it ia th«fc ive have drifted into the presmt position, but let us unitedly work to get the electoral boundaries adjusted se that we may elect a board that will command the confidence of a majority of the ratepayers." Wo have already stated our opinion that oil parties are agreed on ihe advisibility of uniting to push on wi-h the improvement of the harbour, it will ratitter little from which portion of the harbour district the m mb->rs of the Board come, When, however, Mr Parlane talks about conclutiug the settlers at his end, and assisting to get the representation their pof-u'a'iot), trade, and rateable valuw entitles thorn to, be is talking nonsense, as ha is when ha talks about domineer' tog over them and getting the boundaries altered so that they may elac' a j Board that will command the confider ce of a majority of the ratepayers, j If fivrt membeis, out of six, being ro-| turned unopposd is not; proof of their having the confidence of the ratepayers, I wo do not know how to ges a better nxprfssioa of opinion. Trie Haweru Star, di-a'ing wiih Mr Parana's Jett.-r, says : - " It ia for the New Plymouth Harbour Board authorities to reconci'e tt.e discrepancies between the figu.-es officially supplied to Mr Parian/ and ho e given by the Chairman of iha B iard in contradiction thereof. Figures supr.lisd from the Secrwtav y's effica " by :i.-i(;tion of the Board " ought t# ha quo'aUe without question, and Mr Parlane's 1-tter shows that the New Zeatotid F-rmets' Union did not evolve hem out of its own imagination. .Villi r. f- ren e to the claim that the vth-'.-le Bond should be elected by the ratepayers, wa do nat yet sen its force, and certainly not ita practical valu•>. Harbour legislatioh from tha outset has implied t'-t, apart from local authorities, the G.iwral Government has exeroised certain right",

rnaicly tha right of oversight in connection with the harbours. Thi*, of course, is cot in itself a reason why the rights should be maintained. In fact we are usually taught nowadays that the ficfc of any custom having existed for any length of time is really a reason for questioning its utility and justice. But, nevertheless, we think that thero j may be vtry good reasDßS why the I G neral G >vemmont should claim an i iafluence in the care and administrating of harbours, by which eomff.unicaI tii n with the outer world is facilitated, th.wgh there may be do reasou for i's needing any control in connection with road administration in settled district*. In tho ca s e of a hirbour which his been endowed with 25 per cent of the land revenue arising in a very large area, there are, w»i conceive, sp-cial reaeons why the Government shouid not part with its pjwer of nomination."