CORRESPONDENCE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4880, 21 September 1925, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

PIPIROA FERRY. (To the Editor..) Sir, —With reference to the discussion which took place at the last meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council I must state that it does, not require a Solomon ,to see through the whole proposition. A loss may be made anywhere in the county providing it does not affect anyone but the general ratepayer. Pipiroa ferry is a necessity, clearly shown by donors’ names on the subscription list." These donors, being also ratepayers, should be considered. Cr. Madgwick says it would not be good business i.b spend £BOO on a ferry when there is a likelihood of a bridge. Judging by the speed of other matters (excepting the raising of a loan) the bridge is a long, long way off. I would like to know if Mr Dodd could realise on anything better than the county; he may get more, but he wouldn’t realise quicker. Then, again, I don’t thinK the punt would be his to realise bn. Anyway, the gentleman’s, health warrants his retirement from the matter, so why quote him longer ? There may be, as the councillor said, a loss oh the approaches, but where does he get his £5OO from ? How mucn is the ferry to cost the council? Not so much by far as the concrete block at Ngatea—-and the ferry will be useful to hundreds, while the other is useful to the few. With regard to the ten months of discussion, the county ought to realise we’ve been milk-fed long enough. We want less wind, words, and paper, plus metal on clay roads, to be able to cross a river when required, and Pipiroa to be connected with Thames without going round Ngatea. We are only asking for what should have been ours, years ago, and, what is more, we_are offering, along with the Thames Chamber of Commerce and the Main Highways Board, nearly the cost: Pipiroa district £5O, Thamcfs Chamber of Commerce £lO7, Main Highways Board up ■to £2OO : total, £357 (not a big enough sum for the country to handle). Now what is wrong? Nothing; only the individual interest's, and the idea, which is ten to twenty years premature, of centralising a small place which is too close to Thames. Thanking you in anticipation for the space in your valued columns to air this grievance, GEO GOLDTHORPE.