HEAVY RIVER TRAFFIC.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4690, 26 April 1924, Page 2

HEAVY RIVER TRAFFIC.

CONDITIONS ON THE WAIHOU. MISTAKEN POLICY EXPOSED, To a large majority of the publfe it is only when a crisis aiises such as is being enacted at the present lime that the value of the waterways and the tremendous facilities tnat are afforded by them arc fully realised. From time to time a plea to keep the rivers in a navigable condition for traffic is heard from a small section of the public, but usually such entreaties fall on deaf ears and little is done in the matter. More is the pity, because had more attention been given to the insistent demands made the waterways could have been util' ised to nearly double the amount that they arc to-day. However, notwithstanding the conditions of shoaling in the upper reaches uf the Walbo'i River the traffic during the last few days- has been very heavy, and reminiscent of the old times before the advqnt of railways in our district. A visit to the -wharves at the Puke, Paeroa, discloses a veritable hive of industry. Barge windlasses are rattling round, heavily lade i hand-trucks are being vigorously pushed to and from the steamers the wharf sheds—at present proving none too commodious —and out again on the opposite side, where huge motor lorries and Itorse-drawn vehicles are waiting to carry the goods to destinations beyond • the reaches of the river.

A ehat with the Northern Company's local agent, Mr J. W. Silcock, shows the use that can be made of the waterways. Mr Silcock states that since the strike was declared every endeavour has been made to provide adequate facilities for the re ceiving and despatching of cargo, and a daily steamer service has been instituted between Auckland and Paero-', with a daily barge service, between Paeroa and To Aroha. In the course of a short interview that our representative had with Mr Silcock it was learned that the Taniwha, from Auckland to Paeroa, on Wednesday had carried 140 passengers and nearly 100 tons of cargo for Paeroa, Waihi, and Te Aroha, and on the outward joip-iicy she had carried over a 100 passengers and a large quantity oi general cargo and dairy produce. On Thursday the auxiliary scow Poroto brought 130 tons of cargo, and leP yesterday for Auckland with 1002 boxes of butter, 105 crates of cheese, and a large, quantity of general cargo. Of the butter shipped on this boat 710 boxes had been brought from the factories at Waitoa and Waihou to Te Aroha. and barged from there to Paeroa. As the upper reaches of the Waihou River arc very' shallow, and cannot be negotiated at night, only limited loads can be carried on the badges. It i,s understood that the N.Z. Co-op. Dairy Co., Ltd., intends shinping all its output from the Waharoa, Matamata, Waitoa, and Waihou factories by -barge from Tft Aroha to Paeroa, and thence by steamer to Auckland, whilst another dairying firm has organised a fleet of motor lorries to convey its dairy produce from the Matamata and Piako districts direct to Paeroa for shipment to Auckland.

On her yesterday’s trip the Taniwl;a brought a full cargo to Paeroa, including merchandise and foodstuftff for To Aroha, Matamata. Morrinsville, and Waihi. There was also a fair quantity of goods for Hamilton, which will be taken by barge to Te Aroha and conveyed by' motor lorries direct to the Waikato. It is understood that the cost of transporting goods frb-n Auckland via Te Aroha to the Waikato is very little dearer than shipping from Onehunga to the Waikata Hoads, and from there by river boat to Hamilton. Mr Silcock says that there is plenty of labour available for working th-? barges as well as the wharves, and le anticipates no great difficulty’ in handling the Waihou River traffic, which is bound to increase considerably as the railway strike is prolonged So far as Paeroa and the surrounding district is concerned it is assumed that no appreciable difference or serious inconvenience will be felt as to the arrival and despatch of foodstuffs, general cargo, and merchandise,