HARBOUR TRANSIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 190, 14 August 1939, Page 6

HARBOUR TRANSIT.

NORTHCOTE VEHICULAR FERRY

(To the Editor.)

The facts leading up to the discontinuing of the Northcote vehicular ferry should be very enlightening to your readers. • The first suggestion that one of the vehicular services then running to Northcote and Birkenhead should be eliminated was given out by Mr Darlow in a statement to the Press "about three months ago. His idea then was that a conference t>.f interested parties, and he named them, should be called to discuss the elimination of one'of the services. The parties to confer were to be representatives of the A.A. the Ferry Company, the Harbour Board and the Birkenhead and Northcote Councils, and all will agree that the conference idea was a statesmanlike suggestion. Following on this suggestion motions asking for the retention of 'both services were proposed by the Birkenhead and Northcote Councils, and forwarded to the Harbour Board. Then Birkenhead residents presented a petition of about 400 or 500 names asking for the retention of 'both vehicular services, but Northcote at that time did nothing further. relying upon the word of the chairman of the Harbour Board that a conference would be hold before any move was made. Shortly sifter this we received information that the Harl>our Board was gointr to summarily decide the matter at its next meeting. A Northcote petition of over 1500 names pravingr that nothing should be decided by the board until after a conference of interested parties had been held was presented at this meeting, and a Northcote deputation attended and received a very favourable hearing. T,ater, on June 29. a letter was sent (by the Harbour Board to the Northcote Borousrh Council stating that the board had "decided to defer consideration of the whole question until such time as a definite pronouncement has (been made on the matter of a harbour bridge." Before a month had elapsed the board had unanimously approved a timetable. submitted by the Ferry Company, entirely eliminating the Northcote vehicular service. The morning of the day the board approved and passed this time-table the Ferry Companv stated that the new time-talile was drawn up at the suggestion of the Harbour Board. When approached about- it Mr. Darlow denied all knowledge of this time-table. Thp Ferry Company was again addressed and told of this denial, but it reaffirmed its statement that the Harbour Board suggested the timetable cutting out Northcote; and the Ferry Company's contention is borne out. in a measure, by the terms of its explanatory letter later sent to the Northcote Borough Council. Mr. Darlow and all the members of the Harbour Board know very well that our only concern is the running of a satisfactory vehicular service to Northcote, and that that was the purpose behind the presenting of the petition and the arguments advanced by the deputation. It is quite obvious that the members of the Auckland Harbour Board would have deferred consideration of the time-table submitted had the responsible board's officials and the chairman drawn their attention to the wording of the board's letter of June 29. However, we feel sure that a proper understanding of the case should lead to an early restoration of the Northcote vehicular service. A NORTHCOTE COUNCILLOR.