WANGANUI HARBOUR

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1934, Page 8

WANGANUI HARBOUR

INCREASE IN RATE. “CUT-THROAT” POLICY. Wanganui, May 21. The estimates adopted by the Wanganui ' Harbour Board to-day provided for a slight increase in the rates levied on contributing local bodies. Commenting thereon, Mr. J. T. Hogan, a member of the board, said that through no fault of its own, but' due to the “cutthroat policy of two Government Departments”—the Dairy Board and the Railways—the port of Wanganui had to appeal to its ratepayers to foot the bill. “The position is scandalous,” he said. The chairman, Mr. William Morrison: What would you suggest? Mr. Hogan: I suggest that we do not strike a higher rate than we struck last year, and that we appeal to the Government for assistance. Mr. Morrison. What if we don’t get what we appeal for? Mr. Hogan: Our appeal is in Wellington to the Government, and if it is not met let the Government run the port It thinks it can run the railways; let it run the port as well, instead of competing with it and asking the ratepayers to pay. “We have got to run our own show," said Mr. W. S. Glenn. “There is too much of this appealing to the Government; too much spoon feeding. Neither the Harbour Board nor the people of Wanganui want that.” Mr. Hogan: But they want fair play at the hands of Government departments. Mr. Glenn: We don’t want Government interference —I agree with you there, but we must run our own concern. Mr. Hogan held that as the Unemployment Board received £4,000,000 a year, the rates of local bodies should have been reduced considerably. Mr. Morrison stated that local bodies on this coast had already reduced their rates. Mr. Hogan replied that such was so, but in the Harbour Board’s case the Government was competing by cutting freights to Wanganui and adopting truck rates to Palmerston North. The Dairy Board was restricting factories from using their most economical port. If it were not for that competition' the harbour rates would have been reduced long ago. Mr. Morrison: I agree with you there,

The estimates were adopted, two members dissenting, Messrs. Hogan and R. Farley.