THE HARBOR BOARD ELECTIONS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2420, 8 February 1909, Page 7

THE HARBOR BOARD ELECTIONS

[To the Editor.] Sir, —Your readers must.have been sorely puzzled with Mr. Lysnar’s speech and figures. He. tells' them tint an outer harbor costing £350,000 can be constructed without any additional rating; but should the Board decide to obtain an up-to-date dredge costing from £15,000 to £20,000 to improve the river it will mean heavy rating without any known limit. The absurdity is so apparent that comment is needless, and is in keeping with manv other wild statements. —I am, etc.; J. WIHINRAY.

Sir, —We the. undersigned sitting members of the Harbor Board desire to emphatically contradict the footnote which you have attached to Mr. Crawford’s letter in your last issue, in which you state “that Air. Lvsnar worked hard to have the wharfages increased, but it was Air. Townley who moved tlie resolution resulting in die remission of rates.’ The fact is that the position is exactly reversed, it was Air. Lysnar who moved and fought hard for the reduction of wharfages and the increased charges on ships, which was strenuously opposed by Air. Townley and his party right through. Air. Lysnar stated at the time that if this coarse was followed it would do away with the necessity for rates, which at the time was ridiculed by Air. Townley, but in consequence of the increased revenue derived by the Board’s adoption of Mr Lysnars proposals it made it illegal to strike a rate, and Air. Townley was forced to admit that they could not legally impose a rate as there was sufficient revenue in sight, and this was the first time for over 20 years that the Board was in a position to do without a rate, and we are satisfied that if the Harbor Board’s affairs are properly administered and the same policy is followed that the Board need never strke a rate again.—AYe are, etc., D. HEPBURN. F. HARRIS. G. AIATTITEAYSON. Note.—ln subscribing my signature to the above I desire to state that I was not on the Board when the resolution was passed in its initial stages. hut in consequence of the death of our late respected member, Air Harding. I filled his place, and was present on the Board when it was eonfinned and the position on confirmation was as stated above.—l am, etc., F. HARRIS.

[By an unfortunate, error the word “decreased” was printed as “increased.’’ The real position in this respect is as our correspondents state, and it was our intention to give Air. 'Lysnar the credit he is entitled to in regard to the reduction of wharfages. On the other hand he is not entitled to the credit for the remission of rates and it was not “in consequence of the increased revenue derived by the Board’s adoption of Air. Lysnar's proposals” that it became illegal to strike a rate. The position in regard to rating was made clear -to the Board by a statement put forward by the secretary, Air. AVit-ty. It was upon this statement that the Board took action and the document did not and could not take into consideration the alterations to be effected in wharfage rates and shipping charges as the results of these upon the Board’s finance were obviously' problematical. The. only member antitied to special recognition in. this matter is Air. Alatthowson, who opposed the striking of a rate in 1904 and 1905. —Editor G.T.]