VERY INCORRECT.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 357, 11 February 1937, Page 7

VERY INCORRECT.

HARBOUR CHARGES, j ; Auckland Chairman Replies To Minister. j Press Association—Copyright. ! i Auckland, Feb 10. ‘ < Statements made by the Minister j ; in charge of the Tourist Department, • I the Hon. F. Langstone, v.'hen ad- ( I dressing a deputation frclui th j j Whangarei Borough Council, which | j sought; greater publicly for North j Auckland, were described as “Very j incorrect, misleading and unfair" in ■ an Official reply by the chairman of i the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. C. | G. Macindoe. i The Minister’s remarks, to which I strong exception is taken by Mr. I Macindoe, were:—“Then again there | is the trouble with the overseas boat i cruises with tourists for New Z: a- | land. When you have a harbour i board like that at Auckland, charg- 'i i ing about £5OO a, day, the result is I I that the stay in that port is only a i few hours, and then off the vess: I ! goes to Wellington.” Mr. Macindoe said the average | charges levied by the Harbour Board ■ on six tourist vessels—Orion, Strath- i naver, Orford. Esperance Bay, Nar- I kunda, Oronsay—between October I 1936, and February, 193", were £334 i for a two-day stay in port. These j charges included, of course, towage, : port charges, wharfage, pilotage and i water supply. I Co-operation of Board. Any of those vessels could have i remained in Auckland as long as j they wished at an additional cost of | about £2O a day, Mr. Macindoe I added. It was unfair of the Minister • when replying to the deputation to I attach any blame to the board for [ the tourists not having had facilities to visit North Auckland. The board fully appreciated the attractions of the North and Would co-operate to its I greatest extent in offering facilities | for tourists visiting the port of i Auckland to enjoy the wonderful j scenic attractions of the North. I