There were eight aldermen present at 7pm, on Tuesday night when all decisions made at the estimates meeting were adopted. 

There was one objection to the new charges, in the form of a letter from the Motels Association, relating to the increased charges per toilet pedestal.

The Motels Association protested against what was described as “a savage increase” and said the members of its organisation were already having difficulty maintaining present tariffs.

Over the signature of Reg Cabot, the letter said the association should not be singled out for special charges. The association, he said, had played no small part in the development of Port Macquarie.

Ald Westerweller was the only dissentient; he said he thought the charges were “too savage” and he asked for his vote to be recorded against the motion.

Ald Gott said in order to keep charges down for the ordinary working man they had been agreed on putting up the charges for multi-units. He said the council increase meant an additional cost of 3 cents a unit; if motels put their tariffs up 5 cents they will be making a handsome profit.

Ald Matesich said he had given the matter much thought and hadn’t changed his mind.

The general rate will be 3.6 cents in the dollar on the UCV, 3 cents in the dollar on urban farm land.

Holidaymaker drowned

The forty-one year old man who drowned in the ocean off Lake Cathie on Tuesday afternoon was an engineer, of Castle Cove, Sydney. He was holidaying at Lake Cathie with his wife and family, and when his eight-year-old daughter got into difficulties in the surf he went to her assistance. He supported her for some ten minutes and when separated by a wave she washed ashore unharmed.

The father was washed out to sea. Allan Campbell of Lake Cathie manned his surfboard and brought the man ashore. Doctors and ambulance arrived quickly on the scene. Despite resuscitation attempts, the man was pronounced dead on arrival at Hastings District Hospital.

Indignity of road for Joy Boy

It was an undignified return to Sydney by road yesterday for Col Joye’s snazzy racing boat Joy Boy. After leaving Sydney on Tuesday morning, in an attempt to break the Sydney-Brisbane record, Joy Boy was four hours ahead of schedule when engine trouble halted her off Nobbys at Port Macquarie. 

A radio call brought Sid Moulton’s fishing trawler to the rescue and Joy Boy was towed into the harbour. Col Joye stayed overnight in Port Macquarie.