The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, NOV. 28, 1907. HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3778, 28 November 1907, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, NOV. 28, 1907. HARBOUR BOARD.

Our Palmerston evening contemporary, writing editorially of the proposal to form a Harbour Board in Foxton, says, inter alia: — “ Interest in the proposal to form a Harbour Board at Foxton has been awakened by steps recently taken by the local Chamber of Commerce. It will be remembered that at a mass conference held in Palmerston about two years ago on railway matters, the Harbour Board project was touched upon, and it was decided that members of the Chamber of Commerce and others interested should visit Foxton, hold a meeting. and also inspect the river. This course of action was not carried through, and nothing has been done since. Each time the project'has been mentioned it has received the support of the business men constituting the Chamber of Commerce in Palmerston, and we have no doubt they will endorse at this period the resolutions previously carried on the subject. It was suggested in the course of the deliberations of the Palmerston Chamber,- that the Harbour Board’s district should extend to, and include, Marton, Bulls, Feilding, Woodville, Pahiatua, and Palmerston. ' There is, however, one important point that will have to be considered, and which did not exist when the matter was previously discussed, and that is the comparatively early acquisition by the Government of the WellingtonManawatu railway. Water carriage of goods should be, and generally is, the cheapest, but, as practically the only reason that exists for the levying, of a rate, in the case of a Harbour Board being formed, would be the facilities expected to be enjoyed in connection with the shipment of merchandise, it would be necessary to ascertain a,s far as possible how far the acquisition of the line by the Government would affect freight between here and Wellington. It may be that the difference in future charges for the two routes will not be sufficient to justify the formation of the Board, though at Foxton during the recent meeting it was stated that Palmerston would save several shillings per ton in freight if a Board were formed. In pointing out these matters we are not endeavouring to throw cold water on the project, but would like the fullest enquiry to be made, so as to ascertain what the true position of affairs will be. The Foxton people can be relied on to gather all the information necessary on the subject, and in the meantime the Palmerston Chamber of Commerce will, no doubt, take action regarding the communication.” So far as the acquisition of the Manawatu line is concerned, as mentioned by our contemporary, we cannot see that that fact will bring about a reduction in freights between Wellington and the towns mentioned above. We have worked out two tables showing the cost of freight on goods from Wellington to the places mentioned by rail direct and via the local port. The cost of carriage by steamer from Wellington to Foxton is 7s 6d per ton and 2s wharfage, a total of 9s 6d per ton. (By the way, local tradespeople pay 10s iper ton,, and 2s wharfage,. which causes them to ask .questions.) This 9s 6d we have added to the cost of freight in the table via Foxton : BY RAIL.—From Wellington Diivrt.

It will be seen by comparing the above tables that, excepting grain and flour, shippers would save considerably in freight on goods coming via Foxton. Everything, however, would depend upon boats arriving to time, which will never be accomplished until the river is placed under the control of a Harbour Board. Other important details will,, no doubt, be discussed gt the forthcoming conference.

General Grain A -m Merchandise Sugar. Flour. per ton. per ton. per ton. s d s d s d Danncvirko ... Pahiatua Woodville ... .. at 7 .. 50 in ,. 411 8 4a (I 43 f! 41 (1 15 11 14 11 14 11 Palmerston ... .. -49 (i 41 6 13 1) 14 6 Feildintr .. 48 3 40 0 by steamer —Via. Foxton from Wellington. Dannevirke ... Paliiatua . ••• .. 44 5 .. 41. 0 .. 86 6 .. 35 0 .. 83 10 31) 3 36 9 32 0 33 6 39 0 30 0 19 9 1« 6 15 9 17 9 Woxlvillc ... Palmerston ... Feilding