HARBOUR BOARDS BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 16 August 1907, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARDS BILL.

Per Press Association, Wellington, August 14. Questions relating to the constitution 01 harbor Boards were 'brougrn, under tiie notice of the Minuter of Marina tins altcinoon by llie executive comuiiUee o£ the Harbors Association of Xi-w Zealand. Tile requests niade by the deputation were: — j That in the Harbor Boards Bill tlure may be n clause delining ''electors," nnd' that the provisions of the Local jilec-' lions Act may apply. That the local authority may supply tbe Board with a copy of the last roll, and that the last roll printed |)y the local authority may be the roll used.

That existing Constitution Acts where i superseded may be specifically repealed.] That the qualifications of a payer of dues at Wellington be made the same as at other ports—the payment of .£3 instead of £lO. That additional machinery may be i provided setting out who shall be entitled to exercise the vote of a payor of dues; that machinery may be provided for obtaining particulars for rolls r.f payers of dues from'the Railway Department where, it works the wharves.

That in the. amended constitution of Harbor Boards provision may be made for the separate representation of (a) pay era of dues in respect of goods; (b) payers of (lues in respect of ships. That upon the assumption that the 'number of the Government nominees will not exceed two, the number of memjbers of the boards at the four centres may not exceed thirteen.

That in .respect to Boards which have no rating powers tile basis of representation he as follows; —(a) Owners of ships and payers of dues of £3 and upwards per annum; (b) ratepayers of principal city and seaport respectively; !c) mayor of principal city or chairman of principal Town Board; (d) members to be returned by the County Councils and Boroughs within tile district.

In the course of Eis reply tile Minister said he certainly thought the number of members of Boards ong'.o to be reduced. He would consider the suggestions of the Association and see if they were practicable. As to electors, he had gone further than Clio deputation asked and inserted provision for "one elector, one vote." He was prepared to provide that the local authority. should supply the roll. He had had representations made by the owners of ships for separate representation, hut he found great difficulty in the matter. They could come in as payers of dues. He would be pleased to accede to tho request with regard to the amount qualifying a person to vote as paver of dues, and he would also do what was asked as to providing additional machinery setting out who should bo entitled to vote as a payer of dues. As to the numbcr'"of Rovornmen: nominees, he would not express "any nte opinion. It would bo the same on all the four principal boards. The other matters would lie considered carefully. fiisborne, Aueust 15.

| At a meeting of tlm Harbor Board today the new Harbor Bill was discussed, and it vns decided to ask the Government t" deal with the Board in. the Bill, allowing live members for the town, five for the country, and two ffovernment nominees.

Invercargill, August 15. The Southland Chamber of Commerce resolved to-day that a resolution be drafted and forwarded to the Minister protesting against the Chamber being deprived of right to elect a member oi the Harbor Board. It was also resolved that the Chamber support the maximum weight of cornsacks being fixed at 2001bs.