£50 WANTED

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32424, 28 April 1944, Page 5

£50 WANTED

DAMAGE DONE TO WHARF ATTITUDE OF THE COUNCIL LETTER FROM SHIPPING CO. Damage done to the Hikutaia wharf by a boat plying the river in the Auckland-Paeroa cargo service was a subject of renewed discussion at the April meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council. The following letter had been received from the Northern Steamship Company, dated April 14: — “We have to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 31 explaining that the Wharepoa wharf is the property of the Thames County Council and has nothing to do with the Ohinemuri County Council. What the master of our boat wished to explain was that considerable repairs had been done to the Wharepoa wharf, whilst he had not noticed any special repairs having been done to the Hikutaia wharf. Returns From Wharfage “Your letter mentions a sum of £152 5s as having been spent on the wharf over the last 10’ years, an average of £l5 4s Id per year, which could be considered about equal to the cost of ordinary wear and tear. “May we point out that during the last ten years the council has received in the way of wharfage the sum of £lB4 9s 4d, which has more than reimbursed your council. “In your letter dated December 2, 1943, it is stated that one of our boats collided with the Hikutaia wharf, doing a considerable amount of damage and asking us to defray the cost of repairs. We have endeavoured, without success, to find out if any of our officers have any knowledge of any of our vessels colliding with the wharf. We have also sought the same information from Mr J. W. Silcock, our 'Paeroa agent and have asked him to make enquiries of the settlers in the district, with the same result.

Others Use River “We would point outthat the Northern Steamship Company’s boats are not the only vessels passing up and down the Waihou river. Sand and metal scows, besides large punts under tow, frequently make use of the river and are more liable to collide with the wharf on dark nights and during fogs than our boats, whose masters have run the Auckland-iPae-roa river service for years past.” The letter concluded by saying that if it could be established that one of the Northern Steam Ship Company’s boats collided with the Hikutaia wharf the company would be pleased to go into the matter of its • liability for repairs. Comment By Chairman ■When the county clerk had finished reading the letter, the chairman, Mr W. Marshall remarked, “This matter gets a bit tiresome, doesn’t it?” He moved that the company be advised that the work required for repairing the Hikutaia wharf had yet to be done, and that, the council being satisfied the damage had been done by a Northern Steam Ship Company’s boat, the company be asked to forward a cheque for £5O towards meeting the cost of repairs, as the council had no intention of doing the repairs out of rates. Upkeep of the wharf must be met out of revenue from the wharf. Councillor S. H. Thompson: We can’t give the company, as they ask, the date when their boat did the damage, but even if we could they would only swing round and find another excuse.

The chairman: We have evidence that a councillor saw the damage done, though he can’t remember the exact date.

The chairman’s motion, that the company be requested to send a cheque for £5O towards repair of the wharf, was seconded by Councillor G. A. Avery, and carried.