THE FERRY LICENSE CLAUSES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 169, 19 July 1910, Page 2

THE FERRY LICENSE CLAUSES.

MINISTER'S COMMENTS. A quantity of further correspondence pn the ferry by-law question from the Minister of Marine and the Marine Department was before the Harbour Board this afternoon. In a letter dated July 12 the Minister expresses his surprise at the action of the Board, but this pleasure in learning that the chairman of the Board did his best to carry out the- arrangement made with him. He (the Minister) recognised that the chairman was powerless in the face of the majority to do more than he did, and he had to acknowledge that FO far as he was concerned as chairman of the Board, Mr. Entrican honestly endeavoured to see the matter put right. He exceedingly regretted the action of the Board, as the relationship between the Board and himself had been of a most friendly character in the past. In future, however, he would stand strictly by the letter of the law in every respect, and everything would be in blacl and white so far as the Department was concerned. In a letter dated July 16 the secretary of the Marine Department informed the Board, by direction of the Minister, that the Governor-in-Council had, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him, disallowed clauses f4l, 142, and 143 of tlie by-laws adopted by the' Board on May 10 last.

The correspondence generally was re ferred to the Finance and Legal Com mittee.

The chairman said that during the visit to Wellington last week by the Board's representatives, it was pointed out to them by the Minister that tha Board could not override the certificates the Government surveyors. All that the Board could do would bo to prosecute the owners of ferry steamers which did not come up to the requirements, but the licenses could not be interfered with after Government certificates had beep, given.

Mr. Gunso-n tliouglit tnat the Board had rightly taken up the attitude that, being the lo<sil authority over the Auckland Harbour, they should have power over licenses within the area. He thought the position would be less satisfactory if administered by the oeatral authority, and was still firmly of opinion tliat the Board ehould not be divested of its power. Mr. Bradney contended that there ■was no attempt to deprive the Board of any authority. It had the same power as before, and could prosecute for breaches under it 3 by-laws, but it never had power above that of the Marine Department, Mr. Napier said that Mr. Bradney -was. the one who was under misapprehension. In speaking of Sir Joseph Ward's reply, Mr. Napier pointed out that the matter had still to go before Cabinet. The Premier said that the Marine Department's certificate- could not be overruled, but, at the same_ time, he promised to consider the Board's wishes, and see whether they could be complied with in a way consistent with the supremacy of the Marine Department. He thought that the Premier saw the point— that while a vessel might be thoroughly seaworthy in every particular, she might at the same time be quite unsuitable for ferry purposes in the Auckland Harbour. The chairman thought that if the Board continually fined offending people, say the Ferry Company, it would not be long before public sympathy would turn towards the fined, and the Board be put in a false position. From this point of view he did # not think the prosecuting argument a satisfactory one.