HARBOUR FERRIES

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 500, 6 May 1909, Page 6

HARBOUR FERRIES

BETTER SERVICE DESIEED. EASTBOURNE COUNCIL TAKES ACTION. A deputation/ representing the Eastbourne Borough. Council will wait upon the Harbour Board on "Tuesday, May 18, to discuss harbour ferry facilities, , as affecting the Borough of Eastbourne. The position, as .explained bythe Mayor (Mr.~ John Bavr) at'yesterday's council meeting, is that if the landing and wharfage rates and other charges imposed upon the Terry Company by the Harbour Board are heavy, the company must either raise the fares or reduce the service. Mr. Barr wont on to say that tho question of giving tho Harbour Perries' Company a monopoly of tho service would also have to be considered, and he thought such a monopoly should be opposed tooth and nail, unless the company would guarantee to give. a service that would be satisfactory to the borough, l'he council had power to run a ferry servico of its own, and the board should be asked not to grant a license to tho company without a limit as to duration.

Councillor Eussell eaid the matter was of snch importance that it should be refdrred to a sub-committee of the council. The council had no real power in the matter, and the Harbour Board was master of the situationi The council, it should bb understood, did not want to oppose tho company. '. • ■ v The Mayor further oxplainod, in answer to a question, that tho lease of the Day's Bay Wharf to tho company, which ' practically gavoV the company a monopoly, had expired, and they wanted it renewed, Tho Harbour Board wished to take advantage of the position, in order; to lnako fresh terms, which were not acceptable to tho company. Whilo the matter was thus in abeyance, he had approached tho board and secured a; promise to listen to the views of tho Eastbourne people before taking any action. " Ihe Mayor and Councillors Wills, .Ross; toley, and Russell were appointed a committee , to report on, the subject at tho. next meeting of the council, on May ,15. '