THAMES COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4957, 29 March 1926, Page 3

THAMES COUNTY.

WHAREPOA FERRY PETITION?

NONE RECEIVED BY COUNCIL.

A special meetipg of the Thames County Council was held on Friday, Cr. McCormick : being the only absentee. The object of ''the meeting was to discuss certain business arising out of the payment of. accounts, and allocation of certain moneys, and any other matters requiring attention. In the latter category the chairman (Cr. H. Lowe) included an enquiry at Wharepoa recently as to what had become ofc a, petition to the council protesting’, against the closing of the Wharepoa ferry. He asked the clerk (Mr H. T. G. McElroy) if such a petition had been -received. The latter replied that no such-petition had reached the office.

Cr. Lowe went, on to say that all that had been received was a telegraphed protest from Whqrepoa, signed by two people, one of whom was not financial, and the other not a ratepayer, saying the protest would be supported by a petition,,but nothing had been seen of it since. Cr. Brunton concluded ttiat the meeting had failed to distinguish between the telegram and a petition, and had confused the issue.

Cr. Lowe spoke a,t length on the attitude adopted by the 'council, which had never been anxious, to close lines, ofc communication which - were often difficult to- obtain. ■;

Cr. Cribb asked if the council had presented its financial interest in the ferry to the Plains Council, with the handing over of control, and received a reply in the negative.

The Wharepoa. ratepayers, ha,d been given a month ito make up • their minds-as to whether they-wanted the ferry or not.

• Cr. Cribb thought it was “funny” that the council had delivered this ultimatum, after itne ferry had been consigned to the. tender mercies of the Plains County Council. . Th chairman explained that, the trouble'was due primarily to two or three contractors whose lorries had cut the.roads; to ribbwß He recalled a meeting■ df • Wharepoa ratepayers, who.had expressed a desire to clos.e the ferry, and when it was open they “squealed” about the rates. At the same time, if wqs perhaps-, hardly a fair thing, that • through roads of this should be used, by all and sundry without cost- If. the ferry»was, reopened the riding should not be expected to maintain the approach roads without some assistance from •the Government or the council.

■ Cr. Cribb admitted that a certain sections who loudly demanded the reopening of the ferry were not always as prompt in the payment? of rates as they might: be. He thought the extra cost of road maintenance should be passed on to the lorry owners. The chairman-said a charge.of this| sort was. not within the control of.the cotfncil, Cr. Brunton’s view was, that a,ny further expense. would not be warranted in view of the early erection df the bridge, the discussion ending ’■at this’ point—Thames Star.