AN ENTERPRISING BOROUGH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1844, 2 September 1913, Page 8

AN ENTERPRISING BOROUGH.

♦ FIRST MUNICIPAL FERRY. INITIAL RUNNING. By its action in taking over tho ferry steamers Duchess and Cobar from tho Wellington Steam l''erry Company yesterday morning, the Eastbourno Borough Council initiated what is said to be the first municipal ferry service in Australasia. A municipal ferry sen-Tee has been threatened for somo years past in connection with the service between Wellington and the eastern harbour territory. It was warmly advocated by the late Mayor, Mr. Shortt, and was vigorously taken up by Mr. W. Organ, when he was elected Mayor in April last. Mr. Organ made the question a leading one from tho outset of his tenure of office, believing that the improvement which would be effected by municipalising the service was one of the most important factors governing the growth and progress of the borough. Ho entered into negotiations with tho Ferry* Company, and an agreement was within an ace of completion when it was found that the parties could not agree on some points that did not seem to be of such vital importance. After

negotiations were broken off, the council decided to get tho fullest information possible as to the cost of a new ferry steamer, and correspondence passed between tho builders of the Duchess in the Old Country, as well as' local shipbuilders, on tho question. Matters wore taking a favourable course, i which promised to have a definite business end, when negotiations were once more , opened up with the Ferry Company. As a result of these negotiations, the company made tho council a definite offer to sell the Duchess and Cobar On being carefully gone into, the conditions were found to be reasonable, and the council decided to ask the sanction of the ratepayers for the raising of a loan to purchase tho boats. A •loan of £15,000 was duly authorised, but owing to shortness of time the council could not raise the amount in cash in time, and therefore had to exercise then* option by paying for the. steamers 111 debentures (to the amount ot bearing interest at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, payable half-yearn. The debentures had not been issued yesterday, but aro being prepared with all dispatch. _ Fluttering flags from the mastheads of both boats signalled the change of ownership yesterday, and members or the Council's Ferry Board had a lively time getting practical experience in running ferry boats. Some 40 or 50 people had return tickets issued by the Ferry Company, which could not be recognised by tho council, and thero was some grumbling on the part of those who had to pay an extra ninepence—the single fare back to town. Had tho weather been propitious, it was tho intention to celebrate .the day by taking tho children of Eastbourne down the entrance to view tho wreck or the Devon, but the strong north-west-erly wind and sea prevented the development of that idea. Captain Cambridge retains the command of the Duchess, and Captain Durloo that of the Cobar. The services of the engineers and deck hands on both steamers have also been retained by the council. , Some fifty-two applications for tho

position of manager have been received by tho Town Clerk (Mr. J. D. Avery), i These have been gone, through roughly, and later on a meeting will bo held to select the man for tho post. Iho council is taking over tlio wharf offices of tho Steam Ferry Company (built over the entrance to the Ferry Wharf). Tho 'new time-table is advertised.