NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81849, 22 September 1906, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR BOARD.

At the ordinary meeting of the Harbour Board on Friday there were present: Messrs JV. B. Connut t (chairman), N. King, G. McLean, J. Thomson, R. I'lice, J. Ward, E. Hine, and E. Maxwell. RAILAGE RATES. The Minister for Railways wrote that he was having enquiries made into the question ot al excessive rates charged for rai l .' ) va,y hjaufego 1111 butter and cheese from the Moturoa Freezing Works to the wharf. A COMPLAINT. Mr A. W. Rcid, of Stratford, wrote asking why he was to be charged 3/ a foot for old pipes when New Plymouth people can get them at 2/6. — He will be informed that he can have the pipes at 2/6 a foot if he pays cost of dismantling them. WHARF EXTENSION. Mr C. Holm Biss, district railway engineer, wrote regarding the pro posed wharf shed and the lines on the wharf. The p'ans had been amended. He asked that the alterations t the water mains be put in hand at once.

The Chairman reported having accepted tenders for a supply of pipes to enable this work to be gone on with.—Action approved. The Chairman also reported hav ing authorised the foreman to obtain new parts for the movable crane used in the breakwater extension, the cost running into about £<); and that a commencement would probably be made in the middle of next week with the laying of rails on the new portion of the wharf. PARITUTU. Mr C. Carter, secretary of the Scenery Preservation Society, forwarded a copy of the society's resolution asking the Board to have most careful 1 surveys made of Paritutu and the surrounding land before starting to cut into the rock for harbour purposes. The Chairman said the society had put the cart before the horse. That letter should have been sent before the the society tried to take Paritutu for scenery purposes, without consulting the Board at all.—Received. THE BIG CRANE. The Chairman reported that the county chairman had spoken to him regarding the old Goliath crane, which he thought might be utilised in bridge construction work. Mr Connett said he had written to the engineer on the matter, and Mr Marchant# replied that the Board would only receive a paltry amount for it, and he coukl n< I recommend dismant ling it, on account of the expense. To fit it up in working order would cost £,()oo or £7OO. bu; a new 30-ton crane could not be set up f;r £ISOO. Goliath might be required for blockstacking at any time, and it would pay to retain possession of it.

No action was-taken. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

In connection with tenders for raa terials for wharf extension, the engineer recommended the Board to acc«;pt a tender provisionally until the tenderer satisfies the Board concernthe quality of the material he pro pases to supply, and the tenderer should enumerate ali the items.nstead of tendering- in a lump sum. It was decided to ask the engineer to attend next meeting, when the tenders will be dealt wita. He will a-so be asked to furnish a report on the harbour works and the dredging operations. LAND REVENUE. The Chairman informed the Board of his action with reg;ard to the pro visions of the Land Bill, which seemed to indicate that the Boai'd would lose its revenue from Crown land sales. Whilst in Wellington the other day on other business, he had asked the Hon. T. Kelly for an interpretation df. the endowment pro visions in the Land Bill, but that j gentleman was not conversant with ' it. lie then interviewed Jjlcssrs Smith, Jennings, and Major, the Taranaki members, but they could not enlighten him. Auckland members to whom he addressed himseit were, equally in the dark. In the meantime the lion. Kelly had looked up the matter, and came, to the contusion that if the Land Bill went through in its present form the Board would certainly lose its land revenue. Mr Connett secured an interview with the Premier, who gave his assurance that the Board's interests would bo fully protected. That evening he re ceived a summons to appear before the Land Bill and lie gave evidence there. The Hon. Kelly stated his view of the matter, and Mr Kensington, Under-Secretary for Crown Lands, said he cou'd not sec .how the Board's interests would be affected, and asked Mr Conneit if clause 3 of section 4 was not sufficient protection; to which Mr Con nett replied that the point was not clear enough, as it had puzzled all the members of Parliament he had met. The Minister for Lands undertook to have a clause inserted to effect the end desired by Mr Connett, remarking- that he had no desire to prevent the Board getting the usual revenue. ,

On the motion of Messrs Thomson and Maxwell, the chairman was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his services in this matter. APPOINTING DELEGATES.

Cr. Thomson moved, according to notice, to rescind the resolution • f last meeting, by which the chairman and secretary were appointed delegates to the Harbour Boards' Conference. He considered the de.egates should both be members, directly interested as the representatives of the ratepayers. "The game' down there seemed to J>e to jamb some tricky arrangement in," and Mr Thomson considered two members would be wanted as delegates. Mr Iline seconded, and said he was prepared to send two members and the secretary. The Chairman said he had seen the Minister of Marine, who had as sured him there would be no conso.idating measure brought down this year, but only a Bill affecting the franchise. The Board wou'd receive ample notice, and he would call a special meeting to discuss the measure before the de-Cgates left for Wcl lington. Mr Ward opposed the motion. The present arrangement would suit him. If two members were sent, say, Messrs Connett and Maxwell, they would not ag.rce, and there wou'd probably be a repetition of a previous farce, when the Hoard's two delegates were divided on near y Cveiy motion. He didn't want the Board to "look foolish" again. Mr McLean favoured sending two members as the franchise was such an important matter.

Mr Price endorsed Mr Ward's remarks and said the two gentlemen named wou'd not work well in double harness. Mr King- considered this matter to come before the Conference was too important to be left to the discretion of delegates. They should receive implicit instructions from a special meeting of the Board, Mr Maxwell said that the Board, in the interests of ratepayers, should be represented by members. It was not so much for voting, but the delegates should be able to bring forward their arguments . Therefore, two would be better than one. Mr Connett failed to see the necessity for sending three. There seemed to be want of confidence in liim, for the Board would not trust him to go alone; he might not go straight. (Chorus of dissent.) Mr Thomson, in his reply said the country was going to suffer from the petty spid! between two members of the Board. Town members seemed inclined to "let the country go to pot." The Board divided evenly. Ayes : Messrs McLean, Thomson, Mine and Maxwell; noes: the Chairman. Messrs King, Price, and Ward. As though to prove there was no town v. country sentiment with him, the chairman gave his casting vote with the "Ayes, 1 and the motion was cartied. The appointment of delegates will be made at the special meeting when the franchise proposals are considered. Mr Thomson gave notice to move the appointment of Messrs Connett and Maxwell. >