OUR DISTRICT WHARVES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 194, 12 May 1914, Page 1

OUR DISTRICT WHARVES.

! Who Should Control Them? The Waiuku Improvements. W. J. King, clerk of the late Waiuku Koad Board, forwarded correspondence received from the Auckland Harbour Board, covering also a letter from the Northern S.S. Company on matters connected with dre.lging the swinging hasin at Waiuku wharf. The late Koad

Board had cotitrol of truce matters and r.o doubt would have co-operated with the ethers interested in making the required urgent improvements. Dun'rg the lant financial year the Road Board expended £B6 lis in repairs and improvement] to the wharf, etc. The balance on tris account to date was £o 9a od, plus rent just due £2. The annual revenue for the current jear on the wharf account whs £4B 10s.

A letter from the Harbour Board showed that on Bth April the Board decided, without prejudice, that it would contribute £SO towards the dredging of the swinging basin at Waiuku wharf, provided that the Northern S.S. Company and the Waiuku Board carried nut the woik at a cost of not less than £IOO and to the satisfaction oi the Board's engineer.

The chairman sbiJ they had rcverjl wharves in lha county and he ' thought the Haruour Hoard should take over control cf them. Mr MacKei zie said that the members of the tftard were in favour of taking over control. How could the local body carry out the dredging which must be done to the satisfaction of the Board's The Board had the staff and the appliances and could do the work best.

Cr Recall said there was an unmerged district in which there were two wharves; with these this Council had nothing to do. Awhitu and Giaham's Btach wharves were not in this county. As Mr Uunson, chairman of the Harbour Hoard, had told him the Board wouid not be able to gojnlo the matter of repairs this Council, with the Government subsidy due. should go on with the repairs.

Cr Henry wanted further informaticn abcut the finances and a3 to

the wharfage likely to be imposed after the dredging of the channel Trie chairman said if the Harbour Board ,had control they wouid make improvements and charge; but the district coulJ not get improvements without paying for them.

Cr Higginson said if £IOO had to ae paid £SU should coma out of the Waiuku riding and £SO from the Waipipi riding; it should not all come cut if the Waiuku riding. He thought the Harbour Board should have control.

Ur Henry suggested that the clerk thould write asking if the Board would take over control and what tariff would be charged. If the reply were satisfactory then the wharves should be handed over. Other members thought that a deputation to the Harbour Board would be able to lix matters up better than by writing and finally, on the motion of Cr Campbell, the chairman, Crs Higginscn, K°nall and Henry were appointed to enter into negotiations with the Board.

A letter from the Northern Company pointed cut that it was not the work of an individual Shippug Company to dredge the harbour and alter paying harbour dues tl-ey expected every possible facility to be given by the Board to the shipping. They asked for early attention us at present, in spite of their having a shallow steamer, they could do no better for the Waiuku people than land them at the Spit wharf.

lhe Northern S.S. Company intimated that they had to pay to the Waiuku Road Board £2O per annum for wharf dues aad £1 for rent_of site of shed, Pollok Koad Board £2 10s per annum, and Is 6d tj 11 on all return tickfts from Pollnk, Awhitu Hoad Boaid £6 per annum. i^SzJi Cr Henry: What about Is thera anything f<?r that? The clerk: Nothing. Cr Henry moved, Ihat the clcik write tj the Company claiming £o' for the ÜBi of Waiau I'a wharf. On Cr Kenall's suggestion another claim for £G for Te Tora wharf was to be added and the resolution was carried.