OPUNAKE HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 291, 12 May 1914, Page 7

OPUNAKE HARBOR BOARD.

MR. HUGHSON ELECTED TO THE CHAIR.

(From Our Own Correspondent)

The statutory annual meeting of the Harbor Board was held on Thursday. Present: Messrs T. P. Hughson, A/11. Moore, C. H. Hurst, R. Malcolm, J. Macfle and A. McKeown. An apology was received from Mr. Lambie.

THE CHAIRMAN. Mr. Hurst proposed Mr. Hughson as chairman, and expressed the opinion that he would be the right man in the right place.—This was seconded by Mr. Malcolm. Mr. Mooro doubted the wisdom of Mr. Hughson occupying a positioit on the committee of the Moturoa-to-Opu-nake railway, and advocating that line, as the people in this district would not .stand the rates.

Mr. Hughson said he was not keen after the position. He had been a member of. the Railway League before he was a member of the Hanbor Board, and he Baw no reason to alter his opinions. -He was of opinion -that the railway to Opunake would be beneficial to the port. Mr. Hughson was then re-elected, and thanked the members, saying he would do his best to further harbor improvements. THE BEACH IMPROVEMENT.,

Considerable discussion took place over the application from the Seaside Society for a secure title to that part of the Opunake Bay occupied by the Society. A motion was proposed by Mr. Hurst to give a ten years' lease at Is per year, six months' notice to terminate the lease.

Mr. Moore opposed this, and moved that the term be three years.* He anticipated that the railway would be con-* nected with Opunake by north and south by then, and that the bay would be a great seaside resort. By that lime there would be the necessity for more modern sea^baths.

The motion was npt seconded. Mr. Moore further moved that the Society lay 'before the Board plans of proposed improvements and frame by-laws for the controlling of sea-bathing, which, he said, was not quite decent at present. This motion also lapsed, after Messrs Malcolm and Hurst had made some humorous remarks.

THE WHARF COMPANY. Mr. Moore proposed that the Wharf Company receive notice to terminate the lease of the 20-acre reserve. The chairman said that no member had a right to bring this matter up meeting .after meeting. It waß dogmatic on his part in not accepting the wish of the majority. He. insisted that this would be the last time the matter could ibe introduced whilst he was chair, man. ' . ' ' .Mr. Moore retorted that so long as the chairman- got the Moturoa railway he did not care about the Opunake.harbor. Mr. Moore waxed eloquent and earnest, but the other members being, content to make jocular remarks, the motion lapsed for want of a seconder, as also did a motion proposed by the same member to call a meeting of dairy factory delegates to discuss the ibetter working of the pprt with the Wharf Company and the Harbor Board.