AKAROA WHARVES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 383, 23 March 1880, Page 2

AKAROA WHARVES.

To the Editor of the Akaroa Mail. Sir, —The question having arisen in the Borough Council as to the desirability of making arrangements for taking over the management of these wharves from the Government, with your permission I will * make some remarks on the subject. Ido ■' this with a view that Councillors may have some idea how matters stand at present, and also with the object of bringing the question before the public. Ist. The wharf known as the' Gover- *f ment wharf. This wharf is leased for a term of years; the wharfinger—z.e., the gentleman who leases the wharf—having to'collect wharf dues, as per schedule laid down in a Provincial Ordinance years ago. The wharfinger pays the sum collected less 10 per cent, into the Government ■■*- Treasury. The collections under the abeve head have amounted to between .£IOO and £150 per annum at I east, during the past three or four years, of which sum; let us say ioughly-£4OO, not one penny has been "*~; Bpent towards keeping the wharf in repair, at least, to my knowledge. This wharfs

most people, or perhaps I had better say, those who have business on it know, is rapidly falling into disrepair, through no steps being taken by the Government in the matter.

■ Now, Sir, it appears to me that if the state of the case was put by the Borough Council to the Government, and ask them to spend the money they have received from the wharf, or otherwise allow the , Council'to spend the amount towards putting the wharf into complete repair, they would see the justice of the demand, and the Council would then Bee its way to take over this wharf from the Government. After this, it would be in the power of the Borough Council to make a fresh schedule 'of* dues, which is decidedly necessary; and also to levy other charges, such as for ' storage in the wharf shed, for instance. I should calculate that by a proper adjustment of wharf and storage charges, an income of £200 per annnm might accrue. .This sum would be spent on the wharf yearly, if required, and I contend that under the above circumstances the wharf in question could be kept in good working order for the next ten years at least. The practice has obtained of late years "of one or two persons monopolising the ehed on the wharf at certain seasons of the year, it all depending on who was first to put their goods in, and no law exists to prevent those goods being kept there for a year, if it so pleased the person who put them in. The proposal, therefore, to place the charge of tnie wharf in the hands of the Boroagfh Conncil would end this monopoly. «,,,„' 2nd. The wharf known as Daly's wharf is a free wharf, and why ? because a few, interested in having a wharf at that particular place, subscribed about £100 towards the erection thereof, while the Government had to put their hands in their pockets, or the people's pockets, and pay £700 or £800. Also, the Government found their own engineer and workmen to put up the wharf. From these facts, I consider Daly's wharf a Government wharf as much as the other ; and as such, wharf dues should be charged on all goods landed. These dues would go to a fund to repair the wharf when necessary. I contend that it is manifestly unfair for those landing goods at the Government wharf to have to pay dues, when those living near Daly's wharf land their goods free. Those who have subscribed the £100 towards its construction, surely cannot grumble at the above suggestions, having, I am certain, taken their moneys worth out' of the wharf during the last few years as a free wharf. In conclusion, I would wish the public to uuderstand that all moneys which might accrue from dues or charges on lie above wharves would go to a separate account from the Borough account, and could be used for no other purpose than that of erecting new, or repairing old wharves. , In quoting figures in this letter, I may not be quite accurate, but I atn quite near enough to make the case clear. There are many other matters I could have touched upon, but the length of this letter precludes my doing so now. lain, Sir, , Yours, &c,

COUNCILLOR.