PORT RATEPAYERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 63, 24 February 1934, Page 4

PORT RATEPAYERS

Their Decisions and Opinions MEETING LAST NIGHT The Port Ahuriri Ratepayers’ Association expressed opinions and came to decisions upon a variety of matters at its meeting last night. Some of these are reported below: • » • “A most extraordinary statement was made by a Mr Wilkie recently, said Mr A. P. Sheehan. “He said the only trouble here was that the Inner Harbour has a small entrance, and that if the ships missed that they would run ashore. That’s a most outrageous statement to make. Barring two vessels, the Queen and the Trusty, I’ve never known of ships going ashore there.” According to Mr Sheehan the proposed marshalling yards incorporated in the Napier Harbour Board’s £335,700 scheme, were not necessary, and their inclusion represented a waste of £llOO. Lorries could go on to the wharf, discharge their loads and get off. Rolling stock was not likely to lie required in tho circumstances, and the ratepayers should not be saddled with this cost. The meeting agreed. « • • A strong protest against the action of the Napier Harbour Hoard in appointing the secretary, Mr .1. I’. Kenny, as returning officer in connection with the forthcoming harbour loan was made by tho association, who suggested I lint the returning officer who scrutinised all loan polls for the Napier borough be appointed. It was further suggested that where possible nil deputies should be unemployed mon. • * . * As a protest against the alleged prue Lice of the Napier Borough Council in doing mliintiinunee anil periminot.il. work at relief rates of pay, tho association decided to write to the council, expressing its strong disapproval, Mr I). B Mcßae su’d the council nas “exploit ing” unemployed men. and he instanced tar-sealing work which was stopped through the intervention of Mr F, A Wood, certifying officer for unemployment Mi Sheehan said the Mayor hail assured him and Mr Mooney that award rates would be paid and ’hat the town would go back unless litis were followed Mr Mcßae added that soon alter the, Mayo was sworn iu lie -abl that all maintenance work should

be done at award rates. “He Is not carrying that out,’’ he said.

Mr A. P. Sheehan said: “A Mothers’ Rest in Napier is more important than building cabarets on the Marine Parade. The Mayor said recently that t.ho council would give £5OO towards improvements on the Marine Parade, but it would be far better if they spent that on resurrecting the Mothers’ Rest. It would be very convenient for our families when they went to town —much more use than nutting up joy-rides and what-not. ’’ * • • In view of a statement made at the meeting that an engineer from New Plymouth had been appointed before the Napier Harbour Board had sought applications from local men, the Port Ahuriri Ratepayers’ Association is to urge the board to employ local men on the dredge Whakarire. Mr Sheehan deplored the practice of getting outside men, when there were local men capable of doing the work. • « • “We must keep jogging their memories,’’ said a speaker when the subject of the Napier tramway system was broached. Mr Mooney, the chairman, said the trams were a good asset to the Port —far better than the buses, and even if a loss were annually incurred the trams were a public utility. The meeting decided to have the secretary, Mr Sheehan, write to the council, stressing the value of a tramway system to the people at the Port. tt was stated by Mi Mooney that there was no-one to supervise the dumping of rubbish at the Port, and lie said a nuisance was being created. “We have the rubbish of Napier being dumped at the South Pond, and the rubbish lies higgledy-piggledy everywhere. The engineer promised to have something done, but nothing happened. Someone should be there to supervise the dumping of this stull, tu see Ill'll it is properly covered. ’’ The association decided Io draw the attention of the Napier Borough Council to this matter, nod also to ask.it to see that the spoil from drains was nut thrown against the fences of neighbouring houses.