A Breeze in the Auckalnd Harbor Board.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4356, 16 December 1882, Page 4

A Breeze in the Auckalnd Harbor Board.

.-.'■ ' "~ "* t A bwefß dlcurred at the la»t meeting Of the. Auckland Harbor Board, in which the Mayor, Mr J. M. Clark, wholesale softgoods merchant, and City Councillor Waddel, a prosperous, baker, were the chief combatants. '".'-" .The Chairman moved, "That the question of constructing the new tee on the western aide of Queen street Wharf be re-considered, pending the consideration of the plan of .permanent harbor improvements. submitted by / the En'|pn«er.''7 '■:-:" C~ '"' ' . '. In the course of the discussion which followed, Mr Waddel :said that in the minds of some people everything must be concentrated round the Hail way .Wharf. The lower part of Queen street, in their ninda, was the whole, of Auckland; the reclamation, in their minds, was the •whole north. He thought this work was important; it was a work of necessity. -The Board could not be for erer borrow--:fhe Mayor; Would Mr Waddel say how much traffic would go by Hobson street Wharf, and how much by Queen street; how much :by Hobson street, how. much by the Railway P It would almost appear as if he did not know where it is. . , . -Mr r Waddel: lam aware that I must , be taken to know nothing while you must know everything. The Mayor; said a charge of venality had been made against himself and others, in effect that for personal aggrandisement, to improTe their property, they were endeavoring to' divert works and extensions to the. eastern side of the city. But the real question was a commercial one. Traffic usually followed its own course, and where the accommodation was wanted for large business transactions, it must be had. more than natural,; and in the interest of the 'general public works, must go in that direction, or the. progress of tbe place - itself'would be retarded. Some people could not take a large view of anything. They could only look at things in a retail and narrow* way : they could only con template the needs of those who would pass to look at their cakes and loaves. v\?Mr Waddel (addressing the Mayor) : Time was when your position was not -much beyond oakes and loaves. .. „ The Chairman: I think that no. such , personal remarks should be made. Mr Waddell: But vre are told of " retail " Views; and " cakes and loaves." Is nothing to be said about the " wholesale " line of conduct which is in favor with some people ? I repudiate having said that every one wished to aggrandise himself. As might be expected, the Chairman's -■'■ sympathies gravitated towards the Mayor. Notwithstanding that Mr J.M. Clark is a. jolly ;gbod fellow, a liberal citizen,and the sun of the Eemuera 'huppa 1 suckles,' ;he .cannot help now and again displaying bad taste and ill- ' breeding. Sometimes —for instance when he abused Sir George Grrey, and lost himself the election, and again when he styled his betters old women —it would be 'Well if .be were attended' by his domestic ' ioade mecum ,of propriety, who is as wealthy in knowledge of etiquette as the Bothschilds are in gold, to keep his tongue' from wandering, Folk do look for politeness and courtesy from the top of the cream of society. As for retail baker Waddel, he does not profess to be even good skim milk.,