THE UPOKPMGARP FERRY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXII, Issue 12432, 3 April 1908, Page 7

THE UPOKPMGARP FERRY.

A deputation consisting of Messrs D. Boss, Hammond, Eusco/j, and Harper waited upon the Wauganui County Council today to urge upon the Council the desirability of rescinding the motion passed at its last meeting closing the Upokongaro Perry. Mr HAMMOND introduced the deputation, stating that there had been a largelyattended meeting at Upokongaro on Thursday last, when a motion was carried unanimously in favour of the re-opening of the ferry. Mr D. BOSS said he had been a councillor in past years, and had some considerable knowledge of the facts. He said that tl»e reasons in favour of Iceepingf the f«rry open were simple. He referred, to the convenience it was to many people who had business with the post omce, etc., at Upokongaro, and also to those who had children attending school. He also pointed out that it was ÜBed greatly by the general public. He suggested that the Council should hand over the working of the ferry to the'Mangawhero Boad Board, who would run it, perhaps, on different lines to those adopted by the Council. He thought it could be run at a profit, more especially if let for a term of two years, instead of one year. He pointed out that there was a credit balance on the working of the ferry in the past. Some four years ago he was given to understand that the profit was .£4OO. He thought the ferry should be kept open, even if there was no profit. If there was a loss he thought it would be a fair thing to approach the Waitotara and other local bodies for as- | sistance, in which case he believed they I would receive it. He trusted that the Council would favourably consider the application of the deputation. He ventured the opinion that in the past there had been a deal of money wasted on the ferry, and believed that more revenue would be reecived if the service were worked ou the old methods.

Cr SOMMEBVILLE mentioned that the Council had been humbugged over the ferry during the last three years. It was enough to make the Council close the forry. Tho only satisfactory way of working it would be to hand it over to some local body.

The CHAIRMAN mentioned that the clerk had prepared a rough estimate of the revenue and expenditure in connection with the ferry during the last 20 years, and this showed that some .£BO had ueen lost on the service during that time.

Mr BOSS said he thought the Mangawhero Boad Board would be prepared to take over the management of the ferry. It would be a very serious matter to the settlers in the district if the ferry were kept closed for another month, and he hoped the Council would agree at the pretient sitting to hand it over to the Boad Board if that body were agreeable to undertake the management. They (the Councli) could easily take the ferry over again if they thought the Board was not working the service satisfactorily. The deputation then withdrew, and Cr Sommervilel moved that the management of the ferry be handed over to the Mangawhero Boad Board, provided they are willing to take it over. — Cr Bamber seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.