THE FERRY SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15349, 9 July 1913, Page 11

THE FERRY SERVICE.

NO RISK OF CONGESTION. BOARD'S POLICY EXPLAINED. COMPANY MAY HAVE TO PAY DUES. A reply to the statements made at the annual meeting of tlio Devonport Ferry Company by the chairman of directors, Mr. E. W. Alison, which were to the effect that the concentration of the whole of the ferry services on the western side of Queen Street Wharf would cause congestion and increase the risk of accidents, was made by the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. j. H. Gunson) yesterday. The statements, Mr. Gunson said, were entirely without foundation in fact. "Of course everybody knows that the Devonport Ferry Company has opposed the Harbour Board's sctieme from the outset, and that the scheme has no greater opponent than Mr. Alison, remarked Mr. Gunson. "As the surest proof of the wisdom of the board s decision to make use of the fine depth ot water on the eastern side of Queen Street Wharf for oversea vessels, it should bo noted that since the scheme was adopted in 1904, there has never been any hesitancy on the part of the board, notwithstanding the fact that its personnel has changed probably lour times. It is in- j teresting to note, too. that on the exact site occupied by the old Devonport Ferry Wharf we had the battleship berthed some ten days ago. The board has decided, wiselv, that ferry boats, drawing sft to Bft of water, shall be placed on the westward side of Queen Street Wharf, where the water is shallow and where, to obtain deep water, suitable for larger vessels, the board would have to go to great expense in rock excavation. ihe provision to be made lor the ferry services win be a long way ahead of anything the public of Auckland has yet had and "not only the present volume of traffic, but also the largely increased volume of the near future, n*iH be easily coped with. The allegation that there will be increased risk of accident, and that the basin is too small for the traffic, is without foundation. As a- matter of fact when the present tee is demolished —a work the board has now in hand— and when the board's other works have been completed, the basin will be 650 ft in width, while for some years, that is, until the erection of the new Hobson Street Wharf, it will be 800 ft wide. " The berthing accommodation will be so arranged that there will be no crossing by any steamer over the track of another. For instance, the Bayswater steamers, from the northern shore of the harbour, will be berthed in the centre, so that they will be able to proceed direct to Bayswater without crossing the track of either th© Devonport or Birkenhead boats."' Mr. Gunson -further stated that the work was now well advanced, and as far as could be seen at present, Hhe boats should be running to the new tees by the end of the year. The vehicular stage would be removed from Queen Street Wharf in the course of two months, at which time the Hobson Street vehicular wharf should be ready for service. He pointed out that the board this year was expending no less a sum than £20.000 on vehicular ferry accommodation, for which it would secure practically no revenue. In view of the lucrative returns of the company, the question of adequate dues would have to be considered. This, of course, would not penalise the public, but would call upon the company to pay a fair revenue to the board.