OUR LOCAL BODIES.

Thames Star, Volume LIX, Issue 16787, 14 May 1926, Page 5

OUR LOCAL BODIES.

BOARD AND COUNCIL MATTERS OF MOMENT. WHAREPOA FERRY PUZZLE. The movement to light the War Memorial is assuming definite shape, and several small sums have been raised to meet the initial expenses, which should be further enhanced next week by the assistance of the Women’s National Reserve. It will be necessary, however, to bring the project to the notice of the Marine Department to enable the light to be charted. It is unlikely that any opposition will be raised.' All that is necessary is a formal notification of the intention to light the monument, with a description of its locqlity. This is a matter for the. Borough Council, and should not be deferred over long.

The Puriri Ratepayers’ Association will, no doubt, be pleased to hear that the Matatoki Quarry is coming into its owm. Contractors who have visited the quarry recently for the purpose of inspecting the work to be covered by the contract for breaking out 4000 yards of metai have been loud in their praise of the general lay-out of the Council’s plant, and consider that no better design has been seen by them. One member of a contracting firm in a large way said he had examined practically all the quarries of importance in New Zealand and that the Matatoki plant was the finest that had come under his notice. For the economical and efficient handling of metal it was easily the best lie had seen.

The Wharepoa ferry has now de- -■ finitely assumed the nature of a Chinese puzzle, which the poll in favour of its retention on Wednesday will assuredly complicate. The ferry is ,or was, jointly owned by the Thames ~ and Hauraki Plains Councils, with the latter body in control. It proved, a losing' - .proposition,- ■ and™ the“3?lan*s . gjs Council came to Thames and asked its County Council what it was going to do about it. The Thames Council told the Plains Council to do what it liked with the ferry, without actually saying so, whereupon the latter promptly decided to close it. Three Hikutaia ratepayers persuaded the Plains Council to wait awhile, and then got the Thames Council to ask the Plains Council to stay its hand for a month. The Thames Council went to a meeting at Hikutaia and decided to let the ratepayers decide the matter at a special poll, more or less confidently assuming that the suggestion to retain it would be flatly turned down. Neither Council wanted the ferry, be it noted. The Plains Council in between times instructed its Engineer to dismantle the ferry. On Wednesday the ratepayers cheerfully voted for its retention. The members of both Councils have refused to collectively sanction its upkeep, and the ratepayers of the Hikutaia Riding say they can’t'-afford to foot the bill. Councillors, clerks and engineers, it is learned, have now agreed on the impossibility of accurately forecasting the next move in the game.

The Harbour Board’s new dredge has been the object of some curiosity during the week, chiefly due to the damage caused the length of pipe-line by the recent stormy weather. A good many people, whom Mr. T. McLogghlin would describe as “armchair engineers,” have displayed an entire lack of faith in the successful working of the dredge as at present constructed. During the past fortnight the pipe-line has parted company in several places. Reporting on one of these little happenings, the Dredgemaster said: “In the meantime the wind got up very quickly and was unable to pick up the floating chains owing to our dinghy being away, and no other boat being available, nothing could be done. Had the launch been in commission, the pipe-line could have been shoved into a position of safety and the floating chain picked up and anchored there. However, this could not be done, and as the wind increased very quickly the pipe-line got into a dangerous position, with the result that the 6x6 safety blocks gave way and the whole thing separated.” Trouble has also been ipet with in the dredge, owing to the pontoon rising with the tide and not grounding in its original position. Troubles of .this sort are inseparable from the running of new machinery, but it appears that some alteration will be required to keep the pipe-line in permanent commission. The Harbour Board is understood to have the matters mentioned in hand, and held a special meeting to-day “in committee,” though its special purpose was not disclosed.