ISLE OF MAN HARBOURS BILL. [H.L.] (Hansard, 21 January 1947)

§ LORD WALKDEN

My Lords, the need for this Bill arises from a scheme of constitutional development recently carried out for bringing the Governor of the Isle of Man into closer touch with the Boards of Tynwald which administer various local government services in the island, and enabling him to appoint the Chairmen of the Boards as members of a non-statutory Executive Council to advise him generally in the Government of the island. To do this it was necessary to modify the constitutions of the Boards so that their Chairmen should be appointed by Tynwald after informal consultation with the Governor instead of, as heretofore, being chosen in most cases by the Boards themselves. This has been done by Act of Tynwald for all Boards except the Harbour Board—or Harbour Commissioners as they are more properly called—whose constitution is fixed by the Isle of Man Harbours Act, 1872. That was an of the United Kingdom Parliament and cannot, therefore, be altered except by legislation at Westminster. The present Bill, which has been agreed with the Isle of Man authorities, will leave Tynwald free to legislate and to bring the constitution of the Harbour Commissioners into line with that of the other Boards.

Under the Act of 1872 His Majesty's Receiver General in the island is ex officio Chairman of the Harbour Board, and when the Board is reconstituted by Act of Tynwald it is contemplated that the Chairman of the Board should be appointed by Tynwald, as in the case of the other Boards. This office of Receiver General in the Isle of Man, of which the functions, property, rights and liabilities may be transferred to the new Harbour Board under the powers conferred by the Bill, is one of very ancient date, and its holder is appointed by Royal Warrant. The office was at one time of considerable importance, but its duties and emoluments have been gradually reduced, and over a long period the Receiver General has been no more than the Chairman of the Harbour Commissioners and has been unpaid.

39 It was recognized some years ago that some change would have to be made in the constitution of the Harbour Commissioners, and the present Receiver General accepted the office on the understanding that he would retire if and when the change was made. It is accordingly proposed that the present holder should retire when the new arrangements come into force and the office will then become obsolete. As for the members of the Harbour Board, who are at present appointed by the Governor after consultation with Tynwald, it is proposed that they should in fact be appointed by Tynwald, like the members of the other Boards. This little Bill enables the finishing touch to be put to a scheme of constitutional development which is of considerable importance to the Isle of Man and which will enable the Islanders, through their elected representatives, to take a fuller share in their own government. I beg to move that this Bill be read a second time.