RIVER WHARVES CONTROL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4428, 16 June 1922, Page 1

RIVER WHARVES CONTROL

HARBOUR BOARD'S DESIRE. OPINION OF CHAIRMAN. At the recent conference between the Tnames Valley Drainage Reference Board and the Public Works Department’s officials, an interesting suggestion for the control of all the Waihou River wharves, which are in the Thames Harbour Board’s area, was made by the chairman of the Harbour Board, Mr. C. W. Harris, who suggested that, the Department should relinquish control of those wharves in favour of the Harbour Board Mr. Harris, in an interview with a “ Gazette ” reporter, amplified his recent statements, In the finding of! the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Commission, 1921, there is a suggestion that it might be advisable for the Government to consider whether the Thames Harbour Board should hand oven the two lower wharyes on the Waihou River, that is the Kopu and Turua wharves, which are now under the Harbour Board’s jurisdiction. Mr. Harris is of; the opinion that nothing would be gained by decontrolling those two wharves from the Thames Harbour Board, and suggests as an alternative that to keep the cost of administration down to a minimum it would be advisable to consider whether, the Harbour Board .should be given control of the whole of the wharves on that river. All these wharves are within the Thames Harbour District, and the representation on the Harbour Board is as follows : Thames Borough, 2 members; Thames, Ohinemuri, and Haur.aki Plains Counties, 2; Piako County, 1>; Waihi Borough, 1; Te Aroha Borough, 1; payers of dues, 1; Government nominee, 1; making a total of 9 members.

It will readily be seen, then, that the country members hold the balance of power in that there are five country members to four town members, which four include both the Government nominee and the representative of the payers of dues. The latter two seats may .at any time be filled by members outside the Thames Borough. It was also pointed out that the chairman is also a country member, being a representative of the Thames, Ohinemuri, and Haura,ki Plains Counties. I.ti is, therefore, quite evident that the country which will be benefited by the river improvement works is identical with that under, the control of the Thames Harbour Board. If the Government finds it necessary to strike a rate or to levy dues upon the up-river districts, it would be quite a simple matter to levy that upon the Thames Harbour Board,, which could collect same on behalf of the Government. This procedure would prpbably have the effect of (1) a uniform rate being obtained throughout the whole pf the district, and probably a much sm.aller rate than what would be deemed \necessary under two controlling bodies; (2) the plant used by the Thames Harbour Board would be always available for the whole of the area ; and (3) the cost of administration would be considerably decreased That is what the ratepayers require—to get the maximum facilities for the minimum of cost. , The navigability of the Waihou River, continued Mr. Harris, is of vital importance to the Harbour district. Unless the feeders for the harbour ahe kept open it would be useless to build a' harbour, as the harbour vzill be for the whole of the district. It is imperative that the controlling body should make every endeavour to keep .the rivers open for navigation.