HARBOR-MASTER AND HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2647, 1 November 1909, Page 5

HARBOR-MASTER AND HARBOR BOARD.

SHOULD THE HARB'OR-MASTER OBEY THE SECRETARY:-. ' ______ : !Ti:u Press Association.] Ite TIMARU, October 30. ® “Generally to carry out all and every . lawful instruction or requirement of tb© ] sioard, Chairman, or Secretary, and ail duties expressly or impliedly imposed . upon him by all the Board’s by-laws, the Harbor Acts, and all harbor and' other regulations.’’This wasc the inoffen-sive-looking clause that proved of surprisingly grave importance in the minds, of several of the Harbor Board members at the meeting yesterday. The Board was considering the schedule of duties of the harbormaster, and when this particular clause, numbered 16, was arrived at, Mr. D. C. Turnbull took exception to the word “secretary," averring that it was absurd that a man in Capt. Tait’s position should bounder such au obligation to take orders from the secretary. “Why, Mr. Chairman, the secretary of the Board might take it into his head to give an order that might imperil the safety of a ship and its passengers, and* the harbormaster, by virtue of the clause, would have no alternative Rut to obc-y the command. It must be very humiliating to a man of Capt. Taft’s capabilities and service to have to take orders from ; any officer of the Board. Captain Tait holds a certificate for navigation, he thoroughly understands his' duties'! and it is altogether wrong to put. him in the position of a junior receiving orders from the secretary of this Board. This is not a personal matter. I have no grievance against the secretary of this Board, but the prnciple involved in this clause is a bad one, and therer fore I object to its being adopted.” Mr. Turnbull’s amendment, providing for the striking out- of the word “secretary” in the- report resulted in six votes for and six against. A further discussion was then immediately entered into. Mr. Bardsley, with some warmth, asked Mr. Turnbull if he could point out a single instance where he (Mr. Bardsley) had injudiciously interfered with Captain Tait in. the performance of his duties. Mr. Turnbull: Y'ou ask me to point out an instance where you have interfered with Captain Tait in the performance of his duties. Well, I .give you one. A Ittle while ago you stopped a ship from going out ever a shilling or two, and cost the incoming ship £IOO. Mr. Bardsley: I will very easily explain that. The ship you mentioned was on the eve of leaving port- without paying its dues, amounting to £l4O. I went to Captain Tait. who was on the bridge^Mr. Turnbull: Mr. Chairman, I object to Mr. Bardsley making this misstatement of facts. The dues— Mr. Bardsley: I think, Air. Chairman, I may 'reasonably claim the right to finish mv explanation. The Chairman: _ Air. Turnbull, you have made a charge against Air. Bardsley. Let us hear him to a finish. Air. Bardsley, proceeding, explained that he went to Captain Tait, who was on the bridge of the vessel, and asked him not- to proceed to. set until the dues had been paid. Was there anything wrong in that? Was he to let a boat quietly depart- from port owing £l4O The Chairman: Well, gentlemen, I think this matter has gone far enough. I have spoken to the solicitors through, the ’phone, and explained the position +o them, and they are still of the opinion that an executive and responsible officer, such as the secretary should have authority to give necessary instructions to other officers; therefore I give my casting vote in favor of retaining the clause as it is. Air. Turnbull: Then I will move a further amendment that the whole clause be struck out. The amendment on being put to the meeting was also lost. Further discussion arose in connection with clause 11, of the schedule of the duties of the deputy-harbor ■ master, reading: “Generally to carry out all and every lawful instruction or requirement of the Board, chairman, secretary, harbormaster, or resident engineer.” Air. Turnbull moved an amendment that the word “secretary” be struck out of the clause. It was generally agreed by mmbers that the position of deputyharbormaster was different to that of harbormaster. The deputy-harbormast-er was practically under the charge of the harbormaster, and through the latter his instructions should be conveyed. The amendment was carried.