ISLAND STEAMER

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 44, 30 August 1928, Page 9

ISLAND STEAMER

PAYMENT OF DUES HARBOUR BOARDS' REQUEST (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. After receiving further corerspondence on the subject, the Auckland Harbour Board has resolved not to abate its claim for dock dues on the Government motor-ship Maui Pomare. The secretary of the Cook Islands Department wrote asking the board to forward an amended account for out-of-pocket expenses only,; and stating that while the Department declined to pay full dock dues on the vessel, it was prepared to consider;- a claim of the nature referred to. He forwarded a copy of a letter written to the Wellington Harbour Board in July, setting out the Government's attitude to claims for full harbour dues1 Non the Maui Pomare. This stated that the vessel was not run for. profit, but in the interests of the Islands and to provide a service which commercial interests were unwilling to maintain. It was probable that for some years the vessel would be run at a loss. The Government,'however, would be prepared to review the position when the service had been placed on its feet. A letter from the Wellington Harbour Board was also read. The acting-chairman, Mr. M. 11.Wynyard, said that both boards felt the exemption should apply only to vessels used for purely Government purposes and that when the Governmentowned vessels engaged in trade they should pay full dues as commercial vessels did. One passage in the Department's letter was rather ambiguous, but it appeared to mean that the Department was willing to ■maintain the principle that full dues should be paid, and was prepared to pay them on condition that the board refunded them. Mr. G. B. Hutchiuson remarked that the Government scorned to be perturbed by the report of a committee on the question some time ago, and was now ready to concede the principle but not the profit. It was resolved that the board can- | not see its way to alter its claim, and approves the attitude of the Wellington Harbour Board. Mr. Campbell Johnstono remarked that if there was a loss on the vessel for some years it ought to be borne by the whole of the Dominion, and not by harbour boards.