Harbour Board's Levy

Northland Age, Volume 28, Issue 66, 12 September 1928, Page 6

Harbour Board's Levy

Considered Excessive

Protect To Be Lodged. A meeting of business men and others, met in the Library on Tuesday evening of last week to discuss the levy made by the Harbour Board for wharfage, which will mean an additional charge of 2/- per ton on all cargo handled by the Coronation, owing to that boat using the Lounlv Council’s wharf.

Mr W Rose was voted to the chair and stated that the object of the meeting was to discuss the levy for wharfage dues made by the Harbour Board.

Mr J T Dawson stated that the Coronation was being harassed at every turn, and it was for the meeting to discuss what action should be taken. We should endeavour to have the regulations waived. Mr Dawson quoted the charges that were to be levied on all classes of cargo, and pointed out that the Harbour rate when imposed would double the charges quoted.

Mr D Archibald stated that little interest was taken in the matter of collecting wharfage charges before the opposition boat was running. Should the charges be imposed it would mean less bonus for the dairy farmers ot this district. Mr Archibald quoted the charges made by the Auckland Harbour Board which were considerably lower than those made here. The charges to be made here are excessive said Mr Archibald and we must protest against the levy

being made. Mr H B Matthews representing the ratepayers of the district said the businese men and settlers had been loyally supporting their own boat to bring about a reducion in freight it was his intention to put this matter before the Ratepayers Association. Mr J T Dawson said that the Harbour Board had offered 10% ta Frankham Company to collect the levies but they had turned it down, and they had then asked him, (Mr Dawson) to collect, but as agent for Frankham Company the company would not agree. Finally the agent for Northern Company offered to collect the levies.

Frankham Company were the n compelled to collect these levies but they did so under protest. Members of the County Council had agreed that the matter should be held up and the majority of the business people were opposed at the levy|being made. Mr C S Puckey said that about eighteen months ago, when the Harbour Board framed the scale of charges to be levied, the Dairy Company saw that they were too heavy and had made a depuation to the Board but nothing further had been heard of it. The levy being made by the Northern Company’s boat goes to private individuals said Mr Puckey and although the Harbour Board have no power to collect the wharfage rate, they have power to collect the Harbour improvement rate. The levy that is to be collected now will only hit one company. Since the opposition had been using the Council shed it had been put into repair and kept in good order by Frankham Co.

The charge to be made only penalises the Coronation and should the boat be forced off the run, there would be no chance of collecting the levy. Mr Puckey considered the rate unjust and hoped a strong protest would be made against it.

Mr G Rickard favoured the suggestion put forward by the chairman, to send a deputation along to the Harbour Board. He would not mind it the proposed levy was reasonable, the Northern Co were not paying anything at present. The meeting should enter a strong protest said Mr Rickard, and back it up with a strong deputation. He proposed the following resolution :

“That a strong protest be lodged against the proposed levy of wharf dues to be made by the Harbour Board, and a combined deputation wait upon the Harbour Board at its next meeting, and urge a round table conference on this matter.”

Mr Hodgson thought it would be a difficult matter to get the Harbour By-laws rescinded. The district was badly in need of an up-to-date wharf, also money had to be found to keep the harbour navigable. He thought the present tax unfair because it penalised only one boat but the difficulty could be overcome by making use of the Dairy Company’s wharf.

Mr Cb Puckey stated that the Dairy Company’s wharf was to have been erected by September and it will be necessary to charge a little to pay expenses, but with the support of the business people the rate charged will be a reasonable one. Sheds will be built adjacent to the wharf to facilitate loading and unloading. The resolution was put and carried unanimously.