ST. MARY'S BAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 7 October 1936, Page 8

ST. MARY'S BAY.

BOAT HARBOUR PLAN. COMPLETION OF THE SCHEME REQUEST FOR A SUBSIDY. An urgent request f$P a Subsidy of £10,000 from the Government to complete the St. Mary's Bay boat harbour scheme has been made to the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. M. J. Savage, by the chairman of the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association, Mr. C. H. T. Palmer. The body of which lie is the head represents 14 yachting and power loat clubs. Some years ago the Harbour Board, laving had St. Mary's Bay gazetted as a boat harbour-for pleasure craft, built a protecting wall, enclosing a sufficient area of water for the accommodation of the major part of Auckland's fleet of pleasure craft, and later, jointly with . the City Council, and with the aid of a Government, subsidy, constructed an access road from Curran Street. However, no adequate return, either in revenue 'or service, from the money already expended can be obtained until the , bay is dredged,. hauling out and clubhouse sites provided, a. viaduct built at the western end of the breakwater and the Voadway along the top of the breakwater is completed. Lack of Facilities. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Palmer, points out that over 6000 Auckland yachtsmen are concerned in the proposal, and draws attention to the value in. times of national emergency of having a large number of men with preliminary training for naval and allied services. Lack or suitable rnoorinrr sites and suitable facilities for various types of craft had deterred many who desired to. build boats from doing so, resulting in a depression in the boatbuilding and allied trades. "By its very "nature boat harbour provision can only be had through the Auckland Harbour Board, and it is solely to the alienation of former boat anchorages through the progress of liarlour works that provision is necessary, stated Mr. Palmer. Yachtsmen's Co-operation. "Yachtsmen as a body are in far from affluent circumstances, more than 60 per eent of the craft being owned by youths and groups of young men," the writer adds. "At the same time, however, yachtsmen are prepared, and this association has agreed on their behalf to pay to the Auckland Harbour Board' reasonable mooring and other fees which are estimated partly to meet interest and sinking funds on the undertaking. "At present, although the Auckland Harbour Board and the Auckland City Council have expended substantial sums on the incomplete scheme, the work is at a stage comparable to that of certain of the railways, in that it requires limited further expenditure to warrant its inception, both from j/oints of view of service and financially." Board Chairman Surprised. When the matter was referred to the chairman of the ' Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. C. G. Macindoe, to-day, he expressed great surprise at a suggestion that had been made involving the board in immediate action. While it was the intention of the Harbour Board to complete the St. Mary's Bay scheme according to the plans, the board had no intention of doing anything in the matter for at least 12 months.

"I knew that negotiations had been entered into between the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association and the Government," said Mr. Macindoe, "and I knew that they were seeking a subsidy of £10,000, but that matter has not been before the Harbour Board. If the efforts of the yachting interests with the Government had been successful I would have placed the whole matter before the board. They have been acting independently to the board. I will certainly explain the present position to the board at the next meeting." It had always been known by the Harbour Board, said Mr. Macindoe, that an expenditure of about £30,000 would be necessary to complete the St. Mary's Bay scheme. There had been no intention on the part of the board to discuss the matter when the board's estimates came up for consideration next month. As far as the board was concerned, the time was not opportune to carry on with the scheme.