PAEROA-AUCKLAND SHIPPING FARES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4384, 1 March 1922, Page 2

PAEROA-AUCKLAND SHIPPING FARES.

Sir, —I notice in your issue of the 27th inst. a reference tp the above matter, and I quite agree with' the local business man’s suggestion that, as passenger traffic between Paerda and'Auckland is not heavy, and the steamdrs carry fairly heavy cargoes, the passenger accommodation is go-, ipg to waste, and may be filled with the travelling public if fares were lower. The same question was put to,me by a local resident, and is now under consideration by the general manager,. However, whether the fares are lowered or not, there is a question which is (considered by the public before travelling by steamer, and that is not the expense of fares, but the nightmar: Will the steamer be sure 1 to get out of the, rivOr ? Let us have a waterway back to something like its navigable s,tate of some years ago, and the possibility of sticking in the river made remote; then passenger traffic, stimulated by cheaper fares, would clertain.ly increase. While on the subject; I' would like to mention that if something is not done to assist the steamers to maintain their trade to the present wharf they will in very short time be forced to the Public Works landing some further distance down the river/ and with a passenger tax of Is per head for using the wharf, and probably an extra charge for motor to and from Paeroa, the lowering of our present rate of passenger money will be lost to the public,? as a decrease in fares would be eaten up by the above charges. ' Petitions and deputations haye already found their way to the Minister of Public Works, asking him to keep the waterway to the present landing open for traffic, but so far nothing has been done. I understand the Minister will be visiting Paeroa shortly, and it is up tb't'he business men and local bodies- of Paeroa and surrounding districts to keep up the light with him over this important question. The cost' on wharfages and extra cartage to business firms and private individuals in this district, besides tax on passengers, will run. into several hundreds of pounds per month, so whyq, not fight on and assist the steamer traffic to remain where it is? If there must be> a move, let it be up to the old Junction landing, but not further down the riv a r, which will certainly be a retro-, grade step. J. W. SILGOCK, [We are in accord .with the views expressed by our correspondent. A leading article on the subject under discussion appears in this issue.— Ed. Gazette.]