THE O'NEILL'S POINT FERRY SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13649, 17 January 1908, Page 3

THE O'NEILL'S POINT FERRY SERVICE.

Sir.—On roatiinji your report of tfo© <$*#» cuAsion on th« a Htm* subject at the nwctijigof tho Auckland Harbour Hoard, ono-« f led to question wiK'fiirr (ho benefit*! to bo derived by tho Utter are inch as u, yrarrtMii, fho flowing terms ns«i by Mr. Nap*or« Th« fV>ard i.< ask«» to guaratm-o that tbo ch*a-. net to the prop*#.•«•<] H-r;.»r: «;mIS ho kept navigabift for U>ny bo*u drawing Wt. A study of the Socai rendition* *!ym.s that thin pr»ctk&Jly bw*»<i thai » cn-anw, »-«;tSsionUy wide and <kop enough ?«> permit v* the passage of ferry boat* drawing oft. most b«' kept war by the Bourn. this «-si»nn«< be in?. at right angles to the -fn>i!g rut unit rushing in and out of I.it.fl.' Slkml Itay w«y tideTo maintain ibis, in » deport of Bind audi fitt moatia interminable rimiginß. »nd auy practical man can that by scteptiiig the ' cool pK>|H>-»a> iho. i »>.iru would bo c<>mmiiu ting itself to an uin-nihrsg liability. Surely ;i tnoro en si aside arracijrcnn'iU woidfl l*> for i the syndicate, whwii now holds an option iof purcha.-e ev» tiie <>'Neiir« I Van* property, to undertake the dredging of th« i-hauuel, a* ihoy won <.( <>er?;msiy r«N»p f.h«» wit's *hare of any bo*;out. ijorixabk' ftvm a ferry servieo to tin- western |«nnt >>{ tho peidiwiia, ami prcvaimably frnvo swiiw! th*> option with that end in \tow. 'Ilns. m it-.-.oil, is a porboiU legitimate operation: but I submit that for tho Harbour Board io commit itself •<) an nid'dinito ovperKbturo, to ("iiah'sK ti syndicate to v."'ire a magnificent i'oturn, would b>> {xittinic tho Hitjiioo on tho wrong Itorje. Mr. N-ip'or'* statement that ! the .Board wouhl Uuietit ••!!orn.oit<'ly, having 1200 ;i'-ri>s in <!>■■ im-.e-'dirir" vicinity, «wt not requiring reclamation, may bo taken, as usual, " cum grano tnth-'s" 111.* wmuk' tint, rtitii t;k> advent ot Uio tramway, it mx id H" worth anything ttj to .€SOO per aero i« as delight ftiHv innoootit ah nliytiimg tlik aontloman baa yes civoa us. «hUe ibew is an joiniirttbl't finalitiv r.l*iut five stjitenKmS that " eight, or t>in<> months won"! i'oo tlx* ferry in oxwraUon" llje-'" retnarks «.t to inerea-suiv: the \abio of the Hoard's pro-jvort-y would hav«j !«rtui investigation, liaii the M-heino tu\r»lv*-l the building of an embankment aeiw, t la." ;'brtlN>u- part of tihoal" } ! nv, fiheswii the. trains could' have cowkhl direct from Stanley Bay Wharf to O'Noi!!''-? Point Road, thereby re«- : aiming » n>itd» larder pieeo of property than lie* ntythieat 1200 ttcres nihil to. Thi.* »n»<ld shorten the water journey by one-hit]/, and w*nth» enable a pn.s»engfr to he Hi Tak-'intma 2*> minutes after leaving Queen-street. TfclU would tljifkmhtodiv Fa> boon to th<- ro«t(jont« of Lake Takfi'>un:i, am!, in nddi'tott, would lK.<netit t.he lvoatd by roehmtdttg a large traef of valuable bind in clfx-e proximitj! to Auckland. pKVONfoiiT. '