CONTROL OF TOWN WHARF

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13525, 6 November 1911, Page 2

CONTROL OF TOWN WHARF

RAILWAY DEPARTMENT HANDS OVER. A WEEK’S NOTICE TO HARBOUR BOARD. About 18 months ago, when the Hon. A. J.'Millar, Minister of .Railways, was in Wanganui, he granted the local waterside workers an increase of 2d a ton for cargo handling. Subsequently, the Eailway Department notified the Harbour Board thak it would charge the Board for the increase. The Board declined to pay, but the Department deducted the amount from what it handed over to the Board. After considerable negotiation the Board gave notice that it would resume control of the wharf (which the Department, as a matter of convenience, had been working) in February, 1912. Nothing further was beard of the subject till Friday, when Mr L. Cohen, on behalf of Messrs Watt and Cohen, the solicitors acting for the Board in the matter, waited on the Board, and, read the following letter, which had been received by his firm from the Eailway Department: Head Office, Wellington, 31st October, 1911.

Gentlemen, —With reference to your letter of 'the 26th July, respecting the conditions under which the Eailway Department has worked the Wanganui wharf, I have the honour to inform you that the Department solicitors do not take the same view as yourselves respecting the position. They advise the Department definitely that 'the agreement was renewed from time to time, in terms of clause 7, up to 1905, since which date there has been no contract between the Board and the Department.

Furthermore, the communication from the Department to the Board in January, 1911, in which it was intimated that the Department would not continue to carry on the work under the terms of the old agreement, and the Board’s declination on the Bth February, 1911, to agree to an alteration, practically constitute a cancelthe agreement by both parties. Under these circumstances the Department is not prepared to accept your view of the case that it is bound to carry on the working of the wharf at 8d per ton until the 4th of February, 1911, and the Board has been notified that the Department will cease working the wharf as from Saturday, 11th November, 1911, unless in the meantime arrangements mutually satisfactory to both parties are arrived at.—l have the honour to be, gentlemen, your obedient servant, - T. RONAYNE, General Manager. Messrs Watt and Cohen, Barristers and Solicitors, Wanganui. Mr COHEN said his firm had Jas-t written to the Department on 26th July last, and that the Department's reply had taken throb mouths and 5 days to come to hand. The Department, he pointed out, claimed the extra 2d a ton retrospectively from Jltii February last, and his firm advised that 'the Board need not pay it. ' ' Ihe CHAIRMAN—“The Department has already deducted it.”

Mr COHEN said that a week’s notice, after taking throe months and five days to reply to a letter, was 'tantamount to t.ie Government .going on strike. The DeI ai uinent said that the Board had already been notified. J ■l'll c HAIEMAN and several members Ra,d had llad no notification. . ij!) CpHLA— ‘Then this' is the only notification you-have had?”' The CHAIRMAN— “That is so.”

BOARD TO TAKE OVER WHARF. But Protests Against Department’s Action. v-, Th i nM iOUrn c 0d t “ ecti “R of tlw Board v as held on Saturday. Present—Messrs J. B. Murray (chairman), N; Meuli, T B' W dh a ms, J. Jones, W. Ritchie, A. G. ' ’ ?J a ® kay > W - G - Bassett, and J. I. Hogau, M.P. The Board’s solicitor, Mr L. Cohen, read be letter from the Eailway Department, eonfro 1 /^/^ 11 ’ “ ten ! :ion to relinquish control of the wharf and sheds on tlie Iltli inst. Mr BIGNELL said that the Department had given them the opportunity they had been waiting for for years. -There was no need to worry over the present position; it was the best thing for the Board that could possibly have happened. Ao haggling was necessary. He considcred that they should immediately give the Department notice that the Board was prepared to take over the control of the wharf next week. He moved; That this Board take over the wharves on November 11, and make arrangements- to control and work the same. Also, that the Minister of Railways be telegraphed to requesting him, owing to the short notice given by the Department, to allow the present wharfinger and clerical staffs to remain for three months, to allow the Board time to advertise for and appoint permanent officials. And, further, that the question of the 2d per ton on goods handled be considered and dealt with later.” Mr MACKAY seconded the motion. Continuing, Mr BIGNELL said that they must be prepared to deal with the wharf as befitted the rightful owners, and nota-s merely a “glorified works commutee. The question was whether the Board or the Department should bank the money. The Department had no right to make money out of the Board’s funds, and he was only surprised that the Department had given them such a golden opportunity. The CHAIRMAN—“The Board would have been prepared to take over the goods shed at an even earlier notice.” Mr BASSETT said that at first blush ho had thought that he would support Mr Bignell. “However," Mr Bassett concluded, “if we admit that they are right, is that not an admission that there was no contract between the Board and the Department?” Mr PATTERSON—‘.‘I am going to support the motion on the reasons Mr Signed has given. If we agree to the notice to take over the wharf and sheds, they will be our property just the same. The Board has been waiting for this opportunity, and they should take it now that it had come along.” Mr HOGAN, M.P., expressed himself in favour of Mr Bignell’s motion. He had always been anxious to see the Board take control of the wharf. In the past the

Board had been handicapped whenever extensions had been., going on, and goods had been dumped anywhere, as the Department _ could not, or would not, see that the sheds should have been enlarged. The Board should take advantage of its opportunity. Mr RITCHIE—“It’s just the chance we always wanted.” Mr ■ BASSETT—“Of course, we are going to take control, but we must protest against the shortness of the notice.” Mr T, B. WILLIAMS—“WhiIe I am going to support the motion, I don’t think that we should take control without being sure of our legal rights. A Voice—“Oli, that’s all right”; and cries of “Get bn!” Mr Bigncll’s motion was then put and carried unanimously. Mr BIGNELL then moved. | and Mr WILLIAMS seconded: / “That the Works Committee -arrange for the general control of the wharves, sheds, and staff, and other details necessary for the working of thb wharves and sheds.” This motion was carried unanimously. It was decided that the following telegram be sent to the Department;— “With reference to the General Manager’s letter of October 31 to the Board’s solicitor, notifying that, the Railway Department will cease working the Wanganui wharf on the 11th hist., the Board requests, in view of such short notice, that the Department allow the present wharfinger and clerical staff to rein ain for, say, three months at the Board’s cost to allow the Board to advertise for permanent officials. This Board, though protesting against the three months’ delay in answering our solicitor’s letter of July 26, will resume possession of the wharves on November 11.—Murray.” The meeting then adjourned.