DEVONPORT IMPROVEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 67, 19 March 1919, Page 4

DEVONPORT IMPROVEMENTS.

PROPOSES FERRY TAX. DEPUTATION TO COUNCIL.

Probably one of the most interesting discissions that has taken place during the present Council's term oi oliice took place at the Oevonport Borough Chambers last night. At 8 o'clock a largo deputation representing practically every local interest in the borough, waited upon the Council to discuss with the Councillors the question of raising the price of daily return fare on the ferryboats, with the object of providing a fund to improve (he borough in many and varied respects, but chiefly the beaches .and the providing oi proper conveniences.

A very free interchange of opinion was got. and every member of the deputation and the council took part in the discussion, which lasted ju&t two hours.

j At a meeting held just a month ago. when the question was first raised, and a resolution wae proposed appointing a committee to wait on the managing director of the Ferry Company to see if I his company would agree to a proposal 'to tax'daily return fares, only one Councillor entered his protest against i nuch a course as a retrograde step and against the best interests of the borough. At last night's meeting the maj jority of the Council and the majority of the member? of the deputation spoke against the proposal, and it appeared that had a vote been taken the suggested innovation would have been defeated, i but a motion was carried at the suggestion of the chairman "That the matter be deferred till a reply has been received from the Ferry Company in answer to the representations made by the deputation appointed by the Council, who placed their views before Mr. Alison, and if the reply were not satisfactory the question of "getting a large donation from the company would be worth consideration." In the course of discussion Mr. E. R. .Tones (Vauxhall) said that his association -was distinctly against any proposal to increase the fares, though fully recognising that the provision of adequate bathing facilitiea on the several beaches in the borough was essential. He Huggested the intallation of automatic machines and cubicles, charging a small fee for these conveniences, residents to be granted a concession. The proposal to make a ferry tax on race days was reasonable.

The president of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr. Heldt) opposed an alternative proposal of the sub-committee to increase the rates, and to effect the required embellishments with the money so raised. The improvements were, however, necessary if the borough was to maintain its position as a favourite euburb.

Other delegates spoke on similar lines* all urging the necessity for expediting the borough improvements. The town clerk stated that the Ferry Company had intimated that they had placed the proposals submitted by the Council's deputation before their legal advisers for an opinion, which was not yet available. _. .-v : . -