The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1906. THE FOXTON WHARF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3728, 6 December 1906, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1906. THE FOXTON WHARF.

Foxton is growing daily in importance as a commercial and distributing centre. It is the of the hemp industry and the port for the Manawatu. Two large shipping firms are erecting grading and dumping sheds at a cost of £ 5,000., Freight per steamer to Foxton is much less than railage over the Rimutakas or per medium of the Manawatu Ipue, vStorekeepers in Feilding, Palmerston, and other adjacent districts recognise this fact —it means a saving of hundreds of pounds per annum to them. Shipping companies, however, are not too anxious about sending their vessels to this port because it is one of the most neglected in the colony. The Railway Department has charge of the wharf, and collects the fees, but it doesn’t care a tinker’s enss about the river channel and bar, or proper wharfage accommodation. Time and again application has been made for two extra berths at the wharf—making five in all— to facilitate shipping, but the communications have been poohpoohed, One horse until a few days ago was called upon to do the work of a shunting engine—its a wonder the Department were not proceeded against for cruelty to animals. Two horses are now requisitioned to do shunting duty. To sum up the position briefly the railway department is damning the port and keeping the district back. If some improvement is not made at once the local governing body should make application to have the Harbour vested in it in terms of the Harbour Act 1878 Section 14;

The Governor in Council may vest the management of any wharf the property of His Majesty in any local governing body or person, upon such terms and conditions as the Governor in Council thinks fit.

Failing this the Mayor should con*

veue a public meeting to discuss the desirability of forming a Harbour Board. Something should be done to alter the existing state of affairs.

* * * The masters of the vessels in port have spent an anxious time by reason of the fresh in the river and insufficient mooring. The present wharf was built in 18S1, and has about lived its period. It would not require a very strong current to make a clean sweep of wharf and shipping and cause thousands of pounds worth of damage. * * ; *

A recent application to the Department for more berth accommodation was met with the reply that only one boat traded regularly to Foxton. While such ignorance obtains what better treatment can be expected. He is a list of the boats that trade regularly to this port:—Between Wellington and Foxton, Baden Powell and Queen of the South; Greymouth, Westport and Foxton. Himatangi, Charles Edward, Kennedy, Moa, Tainui, Putiki, Kapiti and Gertie; Canterbury ports and Foxton. the Wootton. Added to these are several others which call periodically.

This is how the vessels were blocked yesterday: The Baden Powell was taking in hemp and wool, the Charles Edward and Gertie were discharging coal, this was all the berth space. The Waverly and Moa, with full cargoes of coal, were laying outside the Kennedy and Putiki with no prospects of a berth for 24 hours. The Queen of the .Spilth was moored outside the Baken Powell awaiting a cargo of hemp and the Himatangi was hitched alongside of her, which blocked the Queen taking in her cargo.

The stationmaster, who has charge of the wharf, is a capable officer and carries out his duties in a most thorough manner. This is about the only saving clause in the whole affair. A lead in matters of such vital importance is generally given in other districts by its Parliamentary representative and we should like to hear something from Mr Stevens in reference to harbour matters—also the post office and courthouse.