THE UPOKONGARO FERRY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19455, 14 November 1925, Page 11

THE UPOKONGARO FERRY

UP-RIVER SETTLER’S COMPLAINT

AN ELECTION DAY INCIDENT. I THE FERRYMAN’S PRESERVES. ! ’ Complaint was made at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui County I Council by Captain J. Irvine in regard to the unnecessary inconvenience settlers are put to when they desire to land at the Upokongaro ferry wharf. He pointed out that on election day [ he conveyed three electors to the wharf ,in his launch for the purpose of r* I cording their votes. He was then informed by the ferryman that he had I no right to land within half a mile of the ferry, the only boats that en- , joyed this privilege being Messrs Hatrick \s steamers. The only means of I access to his property was by the river, and he desired the Council to remedy the stipulation in regard to landing at the wharf.

The chairman (Mr A. D. Mackintosh) said that Mr Irvine had an idea that the Council would give him permission to tie his launch up at the wharf at Upokongaro. That was one side of the story, the other being that if he were permitted to do so, and absented himself for half an hour, the ferryman would be unable to work the punt. The only way out of the difficulty, he considered, was to protect the ferryman, and give him special power in connection with dealing with settlers and their launches. According to the Act, nobody bad power to tie up within half a mile of the ferry. If concessions were given settlers, the

Council would have to consider the i matter of their removing their launches 1 on the ferryman requesting them to do so. The complainant on one occasion had blocked the punt, but usually lhe ferryman did not refuse permission to people landing at the wharf, providing ! they removed their launches when * required. The clerk (Mr G. Darbyshire) remarked that on previous occasions the wharf had been damaged as a consequence of people landing at Upokongaro to secure supplies of liquor. If i permission were given to one person to land at the wharf, the Council would : have to make the rule general. The (position of the matter was that nt* 'person might ply for hire within half a mile of the ferry. The ferryman had i never refused anyone to land at the wharf, providing the launches were tied up at a point specified by him. A councillor said that he believed that Mr Irvine became abusive when asked to move his launch on election day. The chairman: He admitted that he had defied the ferryman. It was further pointed out that the. stipulation in regard to the half mile limit was made in order to prevent launches running in competition with the ferry.

Cr D.* McGregor was of the opinion that the stipulation was u .fair and unreasonable.

The chairman: —How is the ferryman going to work the punt if you get half a dozen launches tied up together at the landing?

! Councillor D. Ross pointed out that the ferry was a public highway, and jhe maintained that the man who j worked the punt should say where settlers should tie their launches. It was the duty of the Council to see. that i the ferryman was protected, and that j people did not “sit” on him. They ■ had just done the complainant’s track I up so that he could get in and out from his property. Mr Irving had been a I sea captain, and. added the speaker: I “These men who have been on the I sea arc rather inclined to dictate to you.” The clerk stated that last year two

j launch owners used the wharf at Upokongaro as slips for the purpose of •effecting repairs to their boats. The ■ Council could see by this how the privilege could be abused. ! Another councillor added that Mr Irvine did not visit Upokongaro for the [purpose of securing stores. | The chairman: —Some of the passengers get a bit dry by the time they get to Upokongaro. i It was eventually decided to instruct 'the ferryman that he must in future | comply with conditions and to inform | Mr Irvine that he would be allowed to land without pasengers, subject to the will of the ferryman.