AUCKLAND FERRIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1561, 3 October 1912, Page 6

AUCKLAND FERRIES.

HARBOUR .BOARD COMPETITION. A proposal that tho Auckland Harbour Board should be authorised to maintain ferry services, on Waitemata Harbour is made in the board's Empowering Bill now before Parliament. It was tho subject'of somo discussion when the parties interested in the Bill met the Minister for Marine yesterday afternoon. ■ The Minister suggested that the clause should bo fought out before the Local Bills Committee on the following dny. "I would take this opportunity," said Mr. Fislwr, "of expressing my individual opinion that any proposal which gives i local body power to enter into competition with a private firm or company, and at the same timo Rives tho local body power to impose taxation upon its opponent which it does not have to pay itself, would be manifestly unfair. I would give such power full sway in any pjnee where there is no ferry service running." Mr. Fisher continued that in his opinion tho wise thing for the Auckland people to no if they are not satisfied with the present ferry service or the company was to bring about a conference of all tho local bodies concerned with a view' to setting up a controlling authority which could administer this large public service in the interests of tho people. He was personally absolutely opposed to giving any local body any confiscatory power or any special taxing power which would enable it to enter into competition upon terms irhich would be unfair to those already in the business.

The chairman of the board (Mr. .T. !T. Gnnson) agreed t;o the Minister's siiggestion that the proposal should be fought out before the Loral Bills Committee on tho following day.