7

P. J. HENNESST

I.—6b.

31 Out of the general coffers here from Wellington?— Yes. The four Boards—Waitara, Wanganui, Patea, and Foxton—were in the same position. The Government built the wharves at these ports as well as at Foxton, but in the case of the other Boards they gave them over the revenues from the wharfages. They are paid over to the other Boards in each case. In our case they did not do so, and in trying to get the new Bill through, we put this clause referring to the wharfages into the Bill. However, the Minister, Mr Hall-Jones, objected to it, and the member in charge of the Bill, Mr Stevens, agreed to the deletion of that portion, with an idea that there would be some future settlement made about the revenues. 32 What does 3'our Board do ?—Try to keep the river in a navigable condition. 33. Have you any revenue?— Only sufficient to pay the pilots and lights—£lso from land endowment, the Pilotage Reserve, and the Marine Reserve. 34. Have you got any foreshore rights ?—We have got a foreshore, but it is absolutely valueless. The only valuable part is at present held by the Railway Department. 35. Have you any harbour district for rating purposes?— No. 36. Would it not be a good thing to come to terms wjth the Government and buy the whole thing out? —We would do so, but the amount the Government is asking is out of all proportion 37 For the wharf? —Yes. 38. How long is it? —About 600 ft. It was built in 1880. Mr Bonayne: It has been added to until it is about double the original length. 39 Mr Graigie.] Would it not be better if you could form a harbour district, have ratingpowers, and manage the whole thing yourselves?—We are always met with the reply, that why should we ask for a rate when our neighbouring Boards have no rating area or district, but are simply running on their revenues. Wellington, for instance, has no rating area. The only ones that have are where there are artificial harbours—Timaru, Oamaru, New Plymouth and Napier 40. Some of those you have mentioned are a mighty success. If you run on the same lines as the Txmaru Harbour, you will be doing all right?— You can go further down, and find one not so successful. 41 Mr Rhodes ] Wanganui and Patea have the right to the wharfages I— They have got all the wharfages. J & 42 How does it happen that they are allowed and you are not?— Simply because the then Government was more generous fhan the present one. They made us pay the penalty They forced the old Harbour Board out of existence, and the people did not have the backbone to fight • they did not have an Irishman at their head. ; -.c,™ 4 3" What Act put y° ur Board out of existence?—The Harbour Boards Dissolution Act of 1086. 1a70 44 - T f hat §; av , c Wanganui and Patea the right to acquire the wharf ages ?—The Harbours Act, lore, conterred the wharfages on these places. 45 And the 1886 Act did not touch them?— They were live bodies, and had their revenues to work upon. 46. It appears to me that you will be at a standstill if the river is silting up ?—lt is silting up very badly at present. B 47. Does the Railway Department propose to keep it in order?— They say that they are not allowed by statute to do so. J 48. Apparently they did spend £1,600 upon it? Eon. Mr Millar That is in front of their own wharf It was necessary to protect their own property Witness We are prepared to protect the property now if we get the revenues. At present there is a very bad shoal up close to the wharf We were applied to by McMurray and Co to do some dredging, and we said we would as soon as we got the money 49. Mr Arnold.] These wharves were there previous to the old Board being abolished?— 50. Were they vested in the Board?—No, because the Government never passed the wharf over to the Board as in the case of the neighbouring towns. The understanding with the other Boards was that by giving the Government a certain amount of foreshore the Government would erect wharves, collect the revenues, and return the revenue, less the cost of handing and 2J per cent, for collecting. The Government never did that in the case of Foxton, and these wharves were built by the Government. ~ " W h«n the n ew Board r get up> at wfaat digadyantage wag it p j aced {] . 00 igon with the old Board?—We got no wharfages, and they are the principal source of revenue. The Government never gave them to the old Board—that is, never allowed them to collect the wharfages though the Board wasentitled to them by statute—and forced them out of existence in that way I 2 Really there is no difference between the two Boards?— Any more than that if the people had been alive to their interests at the time, they could have demanded this, and the Government would have given it. uiwimmui, . 53. Mr Supposing there had been no wharf at all there, what position would you be in?—We should have put the wharf there. ' 54. And you would have paid for it?— Yes. 55. And have got revenue?— Yes. for £23 OW *"* ° ffering ** *° 7 ° U & * Cent ' , and 7 ° U will not take it? — No > 57 If you had to put the wharf up now it would cost you more than ten years ago What wharfages are you paying now?— Two shillings on general cargo, Is. 6d. on produce, Is on coal I hese are the principal items. "