THE FERRY CHARGES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15769, 18 November 1914, Page 9

THE FERRY CHARGES.

INCREASES ADOPTED.

A MEMBER'S PROTEST.

CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS POLICY.

The Auckland Harbour Board yesterday discussed the proposals in regard to ferry wharfage charges, and adopted a new bylaw, requiring ferry boats licensed to carry over 1000 passengers to pay 25s per day, over 750 and less than 1000 passengers, 20s per day, and according to size, down ■Uj 5s for a boat licensed to carry up to 250 passengers.

In moving the adoption of these proposals, the chairman, Mr. J. H. Gunson, said they involved merely a change in the machinery by which the board sought to give effect to its previous resolution. It had been proposed to levy charges on each trip made by the ferry steamers, and tho committee had considered that this would be detrimental to the services. The new proposals did not in any way depart from either the principle or the policy laid down by the board.

Mr. J. S. Bond seconded the motion, considering that any objections that previously existed had now been removed.

Mr. A. J. Entrican supported the proposals, and considered that the board should be careful not to stand in the way of a ferry company improving its service.

Mr. J. H. Bradney, M.P., was opposed to any special tax being placed upon a particular shipping company. He did not see any necessity for increased charges. If there was that necessity, why did it not extend, say, to the Northern Steamship Company. He thought tho aim of the board should be to do all in its power to (make the ferries as free to the public as possible.

Mr. W. E. Hutchison claimed that the board was quite right in demanding a fair interest on money expended in public works. " An Unreasonable Imposition." A lengthy speech against the motion was delivered by Mr. E. W. Alison. He classed the proposals as being an unreasonable imposition on the ferry companies, and said that the chairman had enunciated a policy which he could not sustain and a ; principle he could not justify. The ferry | companies las': year paid £654 in wharfage dues; thic year they would pay £3948. A boat like the Wakatere paid last year £30 in wharfage dues, yet one of the Devonport Ferry Company's steamers alone would pay £456 for the same period. The Northern Company, for its big fleet of steamers, paid only £700 per annum in wharfage dues, yet the ferry companies, with a few steamers, paid over five times as much. He declared that for the use of the Devonport Wharf, the board was asking per cent, on its money, and that this service was being penalised to pay for other services. In conclusion. Mr. Alison declared that if tho Germans had taken possession of Auckland, they would not have imposed such exacting charges. Mr. Entrican: They would seize tho ships. Mr. Alison: They might just as well take them. We don't want to be under Kaiser rule but wo are pretty near it. Mr. P. Virtue said the comparison between the- shipping and ferry companies was not a logical one, because the coastal steamers did not have exclusive wharves. Tho Hon. J. Fisher thought the charges were reasonable. The Policy of the Board. In reply, the chairman said that the charges had been increased because tho former rates were totally inadequate for the lucrative service which these private companies ran. The policy of the board had been fully enunciated in the comprehensive reports furnished to members. The policy would certainly be justified and it 'was going to finally settle the question. He referred to Sydney and Dunedin as examples of what was tho policy of other harbour boards in this matter. He showed that in Circular Quay, Sydney, ferry companies paid £8000 per year for seven wharves. For a small wharf, the size of Victoria Wharf at Devonport, £800 a vear was paid. At other points the ferry companies had to build their own wharves. Mr. Alison : Hear, hear! The Chairman's Challenge. The chairman, proceeding, said the Auckland Harbotvr Board built the wharves for the ferry companies and would now obtain 3 per cent, on its money, at a time when money "was worth double that rate. At Dunedin, he showed that a ferry boat, of the size of the Peregrine, paid £5 per day. as against 25s at Auckland. He put forward the following challenge to Mr. Alison:—lf the ferry companies allowed a confidential examination to be made of their books and it was found that the charges produced unreasonable hardship, he would endeavcur to get the board to reconsider 1 the decision.

The chairman said he took Mr. Alison's silence to be a negative answer. It was quite clear that the charges would not seriously interfere with the companies' profits. Mr. Alison : If I knew tho matter would be kept confidential, I might consider it. My experience is that matters that have come before this board as "confidential" have not been treated as such.

The Chairman: That is a reflection, upon the board, of course. The motion was carried.