Bay Harbour Board In Sound Position

Northern Advocate, 10 May 1939, Page 3

Bay Harbour Board In Sound Position

_Mfl. J. G. RITCHIE

. Although suffering a Joss of revenue from inwards traffic as a result of the railway community truck system, the Bay of Islands Harbour Board is not unduly concerned with the position. This was the impression conveyed by Mr J. G. Ritchie, chairman of the board, when approached by an “Advocate” representative. “The board realised the service being rendered inland farmers land residents generally' through the reduced freight rates made possible by the truck system,” Mr Ritchie said. “Carriage of fertilisers and other heavy goods by this means reduces costs considerably. Revenue Decreased As a result of the Railways Department’s innovation in Northland, however, the board’s revenue from inwards traffic through the carriage of fertiliser and similar lines had decreased by 50 per cent, in the past two years, land that at “The Derrick,” between Kawakawa and Opua, by 40 per cent. The principal revenue producing point was shipment at Opua of frozen meat from the Auckland 'Farmers’ Freezing Co., Ltd.’s Moerew’a freezing works.

This traffic was increasing steadily, and thus, although inwards trade had decreased, the board felt no anxiety as to the future. It was the Opua trade which had been largely responsible for the formation of the board in the first place. Whangarei’s Position “Whangarei is more seriously affected than we are by the railways competition,” said Mr Ritchie. “There they have both rail and water services readily available, and it is a question as to which should receive the traffic.

“There is no such controversy in many parts of the Bay, where, by reason of distance from the railways, the community truck system cannot operate.”