WHAREPOA FERRY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4948, 8 March 1926, Page 3

WHAREPOA FERRY.

DEPUTATION FROM SETTLEES. OBJECTION TO CLOSING. The Thames County Council was waited on on Thursday afternoon by a deputation of four Wharepoa residents, led by Mr Harris, who emphatically assured the council that 98 per cent, df Wharepoa settlere 1 wanted the ferry kept in commission. They asked the' council to look ahead and visualise future development Its closure was a distinct hardship on the settlers. The chairman explained that the Hauraki, Plains County Council was the controlling authority, and an opinion had been expressed that the ferry had outlived its usefulness The Thames- County Council, whilst regretting the closing of the ferry, could ' not, however, maintain the roads leading to the ferry, particularly when ’ the Hikutaia rates fell such a long way below the cost of maintenance. The council had given the Plains ICounty Cbuncil‘ the choice df closing one of two ferries, and Wharepoa had deen decided on. If the settlers wanted it re-opened they , would have to. pay double the present amount of rates. They could have-the ferry if they paid for the cost op'the roads* Mr Harris retorted that huge lorries from the Plains had caused most ;df the damage to.the road. He claimed that the position had not been correctly put to the council. The Whare- .. poa ferry should have been self-sup-porting from the start. Cr. Brupton traced this to a lack,of support from a section of the population which should h,ave supported ■ the ferry at Wharepoa. No objection had been raised at Wharepoa when he warned the ratepayers two years ago .that the< ferry might’be closed. The Plains County Council was the \cpntrolling authority, and had decided £o apply the closure. I The chairman told the deputation that the Thames County had Logt £2OO in connection with thi® ferry. It would, cost £lOOO per annum to maintain a necessary four miles of road. The district rates did not even approach sum. It should be declared a county road, or maintained by the Highways Board, Cr. McCormick instanced the case of a ferry-at Rangiora which had been taken over by an enterprising farmer. The chairman favoured this, and suggested that action be deferred for a month, the settlers to ascertain in the meantime if'.they would be prepared to stand the loss on the reopened jferry and . the roads leading to it-

The subsequent discussion became too involved to folloiw, and the deputation retired 'under, the impression that the-ferry would be re-opened if the settlers interested would maintain i,t and the'road leading to it. — L Thames Star.