THAMES FINANCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1932, Page 2

THAMES FINANCES.

HARBOUR BOARD PROBIXM. COMMITTEES INVESTIGATING. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) THAMES, Thursday. A conference took place last evening between the Thames Borough CounciJ, three members of the Thames Harbour Board. Messrs. H. Lowe (chairmaDi. N. Jonassen and IT. H. Hicks, and Mr. Walter Nash, 51.P., to discuss the position of the Harbour Board in relation to the borough. Mr. Nash said he had been in conference with the Harbour Board. The board had to find interest and sinking fund on a loan of £GO,OOO, which had been guaranteed by borough ratepayers. The board could not possibly find that amount out of revenue and the only alternative was a rate. The Mayor, Mr. S. Ensor, said the defaulters to the board were practically the same people that owed rates to the borough. The rates were accumulating on the same properties. Mr. Nash said there were four courses open: To continue as at present; absorption by the borough; extension of the jurisdiction of the Harbour Board; and to reduce the jurisdiction and let the Turua and Kopu wharves run themselves. In reply to Mr. Hicks, the Mayor said that no pood purpose was served by two bodies collecting rates over the aajnc properties. Mr. Bush did not think amalgamation was warranted. A committee consisting of Messrs. C. J. Garland, H. R. Bush and the Mayor was set up to confer with the Harbour Board's committee and to forward their conclusions to Mr. Nash for presentation to the Harbour Board bondholders.