THE TUATEA

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2034, 20 March 1907, Page 2

THE TUATEA

REDUCTION OF PASSENGER FARE. DISCUSSED BY HARBOR BOARD. The Harbor Board proposes to make a charge of 10s 011 each trip of the Union S.S. Company’s tender Tuatoa to ships in the roadstead, and at the meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday afternoon the matter was thoroughly threshed out. Air Harding said he thought it was a mistake to make the charge. The Union Company was a conservative concern, and they would certainly make up the amount. He did not think that the amount collected by the boat was as much as they thought. Ho -was of opinion that facilities should he given for the landing of passengers, instead of discouraging the practice by increasing the fare. Air Hepburn thought the company did very well. The Chairman said the Board had on many previous occasions regretted that the faro was so large. He would rather see some other arrangmont than this charge against the tender, which seemed like stopping people coming ashore. At present the number of people travelling was so great that it would be hard for the boat to bring ashore all the people who might want to. At New Plymouth the Harbor Board imposed a passenger toll and a good deal of levenue was received therefrom. The same idea might he introduced here. The population charge would most likely induce the company to raise

the fare. Air Hepburn said that years ago the company had only the -Smirk which could carry only a few passengers, while the present tender could carry about 200. To his mind the charge of 10s was very small considering the advantages the tender had. The company ought to be compelled to pay something towards the cost of blasting and dredging in

Clio river. Mr Lysnar said tlie boat hsul the best berth at the wharf, the Board had to put moil on to keep tlio wharf clear, and it was only at tlie mooting before last that the company complained about tlio railing not being put 11]). Mr Harding: They did not complain—l brought it up. Mr Lysnar: Yes; but they followed with a letter very .soon. All these tilings meant expense. There was a desire to have the landing nearer the bridge and that would mean more expense for dredging the river. The proposed charge was all the more necessary since the harbor improvement rate bad been foregone. If the company raised the fare it would be time for the people of Gisborne to get another company to do the tendering. The fares charged l,y the Company botweent the port and Auckland and Napier wore on a double rate basis compared with other runs. The company was taking a lot of money out of the district and was not considering the residents, and certainly the least that he done was to get something back from them. The boat could make £lO and of this amount they only wanted 10s. Mr Harding said that he knew for a fact that the company would raise the fare to 2s Cd. How could the Harbor Board stop them ? Mr. Lysnar: By bringing in other competition. It was a pity there was not a local syndicate in being at present to do the work. Mr. Whin ray said tlie question bad been a vexed one for many years. He thought the greatest facilities should be given for bringing passengers ashore. He would not have the slightest hesitation in eliminating the proposed charge if the company were persuaded to bring every through passenger to tlie wharf. The charge would bo an injustice to tlie place, in that it would stop people coming here who would greatly benefit the town. This especially operated in the summer months. If all the summer passengers were landed it would mean a difference of £SOO a week to the town. There could be no objection to residents of the town being charged for trips, but all through passengers should be landed free. Mr. Lysnar pointed out that the company had charged*2s Cd when the traffic was very small, and they had only reduced the charge to 2s, though flic traffic had increased greatly. The proposed charge would only bo a small item to the company. The Chairman proposed that the company be approached and asked to reduce the fare to Is, when no charge per trip would he made. This course was agreed upon, and the matter dropped.