FOXTON HARBOUR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 965, 4 November 1910, Page 2

FOXTON HARBOUR.

A LONG-STANDING' GRIEVANCE. ARBITRATION RECOMMENDED. ' . Tho Railways Committee, in a report presented to the House of Representatives ■yesterday, on the petition of the Foxton Harbour Board, praying for financial assistance to enable it to properly deal with tho Manawatu River and improve if'for. navigation, stated that there was a willingness on the part of the Railway Department to buy, and on tho part of' the board, to purchase, the -wharf at Foxton, and recommended that tho petition bo referred' to tlio Government with a view to settling tho price of tho wharf byarbitration. .-.-■. Mr. Newman (Manawatu) said that tho 'people from Levin to Greatford, and- us lar up as Taihapo and beyond, were interested in tho harbour. Hβ contended that Foxton was in a very unfortunate position compared'with the neighbouring ports of Patea and Wangauui. Harbour construction had been neglected' under tho present conditions. Tno Railway Department were getting the revenue which should be spent in improving the harbour.' Somo ■ equitable arrangement ought to be made in the niatte2\ ' He would like to see tho evidence printed.) . Mr.:. Field > (Otaki) said that unlessmoney was spent on the river there would be .no revenue from tho wharf. If the present'policy of . the x Department were continued the board would eventually give up the struggle and as a. result the Minister, would kill the goose which was laying the golden eggs. He thought that the committee had brought down-,a very fair recomme'udation. . Mr. Massey said, that there was no doubt .Foxton was placed at a disadvantage in that tho Railway Department owned the wharves. He was glad to hear, that the report of tho comtnitteo was favourable to the petitioners. Mr. Buick (Palmers Con North) argued that the Harbour Board should be allowed to acquire tho. wharves. Mr. Pearcb (Patea) pointed out that Patea wiis in the same position until it was given tho control of the wharves. If Foston got the wharves at a fair price 'it would bo ablo to reduce -rates as Patea had done. ■ Mr. Buchanan (Wairarapa) said that tho interests of the settlers of the district had been sacrificed to help tho Railwnv Department as it was thought. . The Hon. J. A. Millar said that he took no objection to the .report. Ho wanted the basis of negotiations on the earning power of the wharf. The board would want the wharves at tho original cost, tie was quite prepared to soil tho wharves at Which was the earning power of the whnrves at present. If the Government wanted to take any property on the basis proposed by the board it would bo called confiscated. The Department was not fighting against the , board. Whnt was wanted was tlmt tho district should rate itself in the matter. If the district did that the Government would consider- tho matter of giving them an endowment. If the harbour were made it would cost .£30,000 and only vessels drawing up to 12ft. would be ablo to use tho port.'. If any local body wanted to buy from tho Department it would havo to purchase on business lines. When they wero prepared to do that he would l>e prepared to go into the matter. It was then agreed that tho report lie on the table aud that tho evidence should be printed. ' i