The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1907. THE PORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3766, 25 May 1907, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1907. THE PORT.

Our Palmerston contemporary, the Manawatu Standard, in ■ Thflrs-; day’s issue published our interview with Mr Franklaad in regard ( to., his interviews' with the Minister's for Marine and Lands in reference tp the local port. Commenting oh* the interview the; Standard ? say h; — “It ia.-bjr.ely to'point out the e'xtreine-valiiebt the shipping facilities at ? Foxiqn aqd. their future' poVS|bilities.: v : tb ‘ the I watu district ; as a, \ybole. advantages arising ! thferefromlire| so obvious that .anything to interfere with the prompt 'Safe and satisfactory working ;oi; the port must be. viewed not only with> disfavour but. energetic steps in us t r , be taken to prevent, a course , of action that would be,fatal tp- the . commercial interests of 6o,ocopeople. It will be. noticed by a perusal of, the report of Mr F. W i: Frankland’s interview with the Minister.-, for Lands, • published .-in-to-day’s issue, with regard to an interim .report received by. the. Minister' from the Public, Works officers respecting , the flood levels of the Mauawatu River, that there is a possibility of a “ cut” being recommended from Major’s Bend (better known as Wintergill’s). to Hartley’s Bend, a distance of over a mile, to facilitate the passage; or flood waters. The idea has not yet reached the “ recommendation ” stage, and is : still embryonic, but the effect may be so far-reaching and so disastrous that it is well it should,, be fully, discussed’ While yet in its find-. ■piency. It is a well-known fact that ’“cuts” sometimes get beyond the powers of those making them, who thus, figuratively speaking, bring into operation, machinery which they are unable to control. In this possibility lies the danger to Foxton as a port, and it is in this aspect the idea—for it ha* gone no further —mush* be con-, sidered. The localebf the “ cut ”

is some distance above Foxton up the river/ and itsidischarging point would be some distance below Herrington,!a mile below Foxton. The : appfahensipn that exists, and \vh.ich' h,as:/been given expression" that the river, as rivers are prone to do, would adopt, the c at* a s .anew and perma--nent channel, and in course of time le&ve the port high .and dry by the gradual silting up of the circuitous 'course at "present followed by the river at Fpxtdn. With such a possibility - ''and, while, at the same time, acknowledging the right of settlers affected by the •all-to frequent floods to 'relief therefrom, the suggested cut must be regarded* as a matter for the gravest . consideration of all those who have in any connection however remote* a commercial interest in the; present, water carriage afforded by the river. The Manawatu River at Foxton, with the -expenditure of not a very great amout of money, .can be made a safe and: navigable, channel for the passage of much 'larger •. .steamers than at .present - visit- the: port, •, and the - whole attention, of the residents:.<of the district must be .directed .’towards conserving- and amplifying, rather than destroying* the natural advantage they possess.. As 'we have already admitted,'the interest.otthe ‘settlers affected by the floods require—in Tact, demand f 'if_ possible, from destructive visitations of this nature,' blit the means must be sought in h? manner that wrjl not threaten the of a thriving port with 'probabilities ofexpansion—wnen one considers the ever-grovv-■ing richness and development of the whole district—that are incalculable.”