THE DEVONPORT FERRY SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 169, 17 July 1907, Page 9

THE DEVONPORT FERRY SERVICE.

The following letter has been forwardby Mr. W. J. Kapier.. to the Devonjort Borough. Council:— Auckland, July 16, i 907. The Mayor and Councillors, Devonport.

Gentlemen, —In view of the entirely ■■unjustifiable increase in the price of the I '-annual ferry tickets by the Devonport 5 jerry Company, I would draw your attention to the powers given to you in !*.'. conjunction with the Auckland City Council, to fix the maximum fares which may be charged by ferry steamers for sbe carriage of passengers, and generally -for regulating the service. These powers are contained in section 264 of ''The Municipal Corporations Act, 1900," mi by subsection 2, of that section, lie Council has power to fix the maximum fares, such power to be exercised in conjunction with the Auckland City Council, in accordance with subsection 3 .'of the same section of the Act referred •V±Or Where the termini of a ferry service are in two separate districts, the Conn<als pi both districts are to jointly exerase the power of fixing the fares and

ssgalalmg the service. It is the opinion of a vast majority of tile peonlf of Devonport that the

i time, ha 9 arrived for your Council to proceed to ex-ercise the powers referred

to, ard I therefore have the honour to

gunrjpst. that you should write to the ilncllaiid City Council an-d invite that body to co-operate with you for the abov-e-m&ntioned purpose. I need scarcely point out that the Devonport Ferry Company has been ior many 3'ears mak* .ing enormous profits from, the people of. Devouport, and that the ferry between Auckland and Devonport being our only means of conveyance, and therefore a monopoly, it is the duty of a represenitaidve Council to see that the residents of the borough are not unduJy oppressed by any company for the time being possessing the monopoly. I trust you ■will take this matter into consideration

at your next meeting, and that through.

the exercise of the powers vested in the residents of DevonporE may not he called upon to pay more than

the fares which have been hitherto -.-charged, and which of themselves-,--have yielded to the company so large a profit, —I have the honour to be. gentlemen, your obedient servant. '■■ . W. J. NAPIER. Mr. W. J. Kapier has given notice to move at the nest meeting of the Harbour Board:— 1. "That the necessary notices be given to remoVe the sheds of the Devonport iFerry Company, and others (not including boat sheds), on the foreshores at Devonport, the time for which occupancy of the beaches was granted having now expired." 2. "That an Order in Council be applied for under section 4 of "The Public Bodies Powers Act, 1857,' to enable the Board to grant renewable leases of its fends under section 2 of 'The Public 1 Powers Act, 1887, Amendment Act, 1891.'"