FOXTON’S HARBOUR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 397, 13 June 1908, Page 2

FOXTON’S HARBOUR.

Feilding Sympathy Enlisted. Question Before Feilding Chamber of Commerce. Resolutions Adopted. A meeting of the Chamber of >/' Commerce was held on Thursday ' night, for the purpose of hearing an address from Mr Hennessy (President of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce), on the proposed 1 Harbour Board at Foxton, Mr A. A H. Atkinson presided.Mr Hennessy addressed the meeting on behalf of the formation of a Harbour Board for Foxton. He said the Minister of Marine had suggested a Harbour Board for ■ Foxton, and he found such could be financed. Patea was referred to as a case in point, and the speaker said Foxton would have more shipping than Patea. The Government had promised endowments of land equal to about They had asked the Government for the shipping fees. This sum amounted to and the Railway Department, who took this sum, Ind not spent 2d on the river. His object now was to ask those present to use their hill uence to help Foxton get the shipping revenues. They did not wish to strike a rate, but merely wanted the shipping fees to be used in improving the river from the heads.

Mr Cobbe asked if it was proposed to rate any area as far away as Feilding? Mr Henuessy said they did not propose a rating area at all. He pointed out that in the proposed Bill they included Feilding, Matiawatu County, Palmerston, and Levin, so that the districts outside Foxtou had a majority on the proposed board. He wished to impress on the meeting that they were ■ not committing themselves to anything. All he wished was the support of the Chamber to compel the Government to hand over the shipping dues.

Mr Bramwell was in favour of agreeing to the request of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce. He said if the river were lighted, the river dues would be greatly increased. By having a harbour at Foxton, the Feilding importers would greatly benefit, as railway freights would be drafted to meet the river freights. Mr Cobbe asked Mr Hennessy if he were Minister of Railways would he hand over the revenue from the wharf to a competing body ?

Mr Henuessy replied that iu the Government there was also a Minister of Justice. (Hear, hear.) j The people of Foxton had a right ' to the revenues —the Railway De-N partment had no right whatever to the tees.

Mr Bartholomew strongly supported the suggestion that they should' urge the Government to give the shipping dues to the Harbour Board. He proposed— That this Chamber support the Foxtou Chamber in their endeavour to obtain from the Government the revenue that they now collect as wharf dues, wharfage etc., and that Feilding Chamber ask the member for the district to support the proposed enabling Bill that is coming before the House next session.

Seconded by Mr Tolley. He said they were practically forced to take this position for self protection. The Wellington Harbour Board were spending a great deal of money, and were increasing their wharfage rates. The President also supported the motion, being quite satisfied there was no ulterior motive in asking the suport of Feilding for the Bill.

Mr Carty spoke against the motion, as he thought there would not be much benefit to the people in this district. He was afraid they would ultimately be striking a rate for the upkeep of the river. Mr Hennessy replied that they could not borrow money for improving the river without getting a Bill through Parliament. Mr Carthy : That is not a very hard thing to do ! Mr Hennessy: Then what on earth am I here for ? He went on to say that if it was easy to get a Bill through Parliament to borrow money and strike a rate, he need not have come to enlist the moral support of Feilding for the Bill. Messrs Tingey and Bramwell also supported the motion. Mr Bartholomew pointed out that in two commodities—grain and coal—the people of this district would decidedly benefit by increased facilities at Foxton, which would result in decreased rates on these articles. The motion was carried unanimously.

The President read a letter from '/' Mr Hennessy, stating that a deputation would wait upon the Prime Minister at the Feilding Railway Station at 12 o’clock on Monday, . 15th inst., and asked Feilding.’s President to attend.

Mr Bramwell was appointed by the meeting to accompany Mr Atkinson.

The meeting then closed.—Feilding Star.