PROPOSED HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 398, 16 June 1908, Page 3

PROPOSED HARBOUR BOARD.

Deputation Waits on the Premier. Subject to Receive full Consideration. During his brief visit to Palmerston yesterday afternoon, Sir Joseph Ward was waited on at the Grand Hotel by a large and representative deputation in reference to the proposed Harbour Board for Foxton. The deputation consisted of the following delegates : —Messrs J. A. Nash (Mayor of Palmerston), f£. J. Richards (Horowhenua), M. Walker (Bulls), B. G. Gower (Mayor of Foxton). Ed. Newman (Marten Chamber of Commerce), F. W. Frankland and P. Henucssy (Foxton Chamber of Commerce), J. Stevens, M.P. watu), W. T Wood, M.P., (Palmerston), J. G. Wilson (Manawatu County Council), E. O. Hurley (Palmerston Chamber of Commerce), Pastor Hies (Mayor of Dannevirkc), Burnett (Mayor of Wuodville), W, J. B. irewin (Mayor of Feilding). F. Y. Lethbridge, M.P. (Uroua), J. W. Brarnwell and A. 11. Atkinson (Feilding Chamber of Commerce). An apology for absence was received from Mr B. It, Gardener, Mayor of Levin. The deputation was introduced by Air J. Stevens, AI.P. In explaining what was desired of the Government, Air Stevens said the matter must not be considered as a Foxton question. It was a matter affecting the whole of the Manawatu, Itangitikci, and WooJvillc districts. What the deputation desired was that the Railway Department should hand over the shipping dues received from the wharf—less working expenses—to be devoted to their proper purposes, which was to keep the river open and facilitate shipping. There had been at times as many as half a dozen vessels stuck up in port on account of the river being silted up in several places, and it was quite a common thing for two or three vessels at a time to be stuck for several days in the Manawatu. river, inside the bar, from the same cause. They had seen what had happened to the Rangitikei river from silting. In 1854 he sailed up the river in a good sized sailing craft, and for some years after that it was quite common for such vessels as the Jane Douglas to navigate the river with the reatest ease, but all that had been topped by silting, and the same tiling would happen at Foxton unless something was done. And nobody could do what was required so effectively as a properly constituted Harbour Board. It would be a serious disaster if the Manawatu River silted up like the Rangitikei, and that was inevitable unless steps were taken in time to prevent it. In existing circumstances the Railway Department took the whole of the dues from shipping, and not a halfpenny was expended by the Department.

Some £ISOO was spent some years ago by the Department dredging, and as a result the Department obtained as much railway ballast out of the river as ballasted six miles of the line, and it also sold 6000 yards to the Borough of Fox ton —and all that went into the Department’s pocket. The river from the wharf to the sea had been positively neglected, and he could not see any justification for the perpetuation of the wrong being done to the district. He did not mean that the Department was actively doing a great wrong to the district, but it was felt that the Department ought not to stand m the way of the people when they desired to take advantage of an opportunity to improve the district. The importance of the district was well-known, and that the trade would greatly increase with better facilities was undoubted. It was a great centre for the district, and could be made an advantageous port for the distribution of coal from the State mines on the West Coast. On that ground alone, the project deserved encouragement. And when the sawmills were in full swing, as they shortly would be, on the Main Trunk Line, there should be an enormous amount of business done on that account. In conclusion, lie urged that a properly constituted Harbour Board was the only body that could deal effectively with the work of keeping the river open aud improving it so as 10 cope with the increase of business that would follow. He once more emphasised that this was not a parochial question, but one affecting the whole district, including Alanawatu, llangitikci and Woodville. At this point the Premier enquired whether everybody present intended to speak. He had not the slightest desire to hurry the deputation, but unfortunately he had a most important appointment to keep at the express, lie had not thought that there would be so many present, or more time might have been arranged. However, probably all present would have similar arguments to those advanced by Mr Stevens, and it would not he necessary for all to go over the same ground. Mr Nash said several others had intended to speak, but in the circumstances the proceedings would be shortened.

MrHennessy (chairman of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce) stated that the deputation represented between 50,000 and 60,000 people, and what they asked was that the port be placed on the same footing as Patea and Wanganui so far as shipping dues arc concerned. He claimed that the deputation were entitled to be placed on the same footing as the ports of Patea and Wanganui, as we were on all fours with regard to the construction of the wharf. The towns here represented were Palmerston, Foxton, Feilding, Woodville, Dannevirke, Pahiatua, Levin, Bulls, Sandon, and surrounding districts. The port has been sadly neglected as far as equipment is concerned : it is not lighted, the sands are drifting from the south bank into the channel, thereby giving the stre.-m more work than IN ature had iv.i.ended. Floods leave banks in the stream that require to be shifted by means of dredging. Bank erosions are continually occurring, so much so that if McGregor’s Bend, above the wharf, is not attended to, it will cut through into Robinson’s Bend and leave the wharf in a backwash. The residents of Foxton in the late 70’s or early 80's were easy-going people, and when the wharf was offered to them they did not think it worth while taking it over. Accordingly, the Goveminent took it up, and had kept it ever since. All grain coming into the district now was handicapped from 7s 6d to 10s, compared with Wanganui. He explained that grain coming from South was carried into Wanganui by direct boats at Is per sack, whereas coming via boat to Foxton or via Wel-

lington and rail to Palmerston, it meant 7s (hi to lus per ton extra freight. Air I Icmies.-y slated lui tiier that the coal for private consumption in this district via the port was considerable, and in so far as coal for the railway was concerned, the port was of immense importance to the Government from a haulage point of view, as ono engine could haul as much coal out of F'oxton as it would take three engines to do out of Wanganui. Ho accounted for this by reason of the level country through which the port is the distributing centre. Mr Hcnncssy, in conclusion, stated that they had waited upon the Minister for Marine and placed before him the disabilities under which the port was suffering, hut he had replied that his department had no money to spend on the river.

c Mr Burnett, speaking on behalf of the local bodies on the other side of the Tararua range, said they were heartily in agreement with the scheme, as it was a matter that would increase the business of the district. But there was one point he wanted to make clear; they did not think that the benefit accruing would be such as to justify a rate being levied on them. A delegate : There lias never been any proposal to rate. Mr Burnett: No, but some peculiar things creep into Bills at times. We are in agreement with the scheme so long as we are not rated. THE PREMIER'S REPLY. Iu replying. Sir Joseph said he would undertake to see that the matter was gone into fully by the Government. The last time he was going through to Wellington, the matter was put before him very strongly by Mr Stevens, but the position was not quite so easy as it appeared on the face of it. It was quite true that the Eailway Department had taken the revenue, but it must also be remembered that it had provided the capital to enable that revenue to be obtained, and that it had kept up the maintenance of the necessary wharf, until the district decided to form a Harbour Board. Up m the representation of the member for the district the Government assented to the proposed Harbour Board, and agreed to give the whole of the foreshore by way of endowment for the purpose of carrying out the proper works. That might not be very valuable now, but no one could tell what it might develop to, and he would point out that—so far as his memory went—there was no other Harbour Board in the colony that had a similar right to the whole of the foreshore. The reference to Patea and Wanganui would be fully considered, but it must be remembered that those bodies accepted their responsibilities and carried out the duties that the Eailway Department had had to do, to a great extent at Poxton. Mr Burnett had struck an important note that had been in his mind as they placed the matter before him. They had rather got the cart before the horse at present. It appeared to him that if they desired to make a thoroughly efficient harbour and deal with the silting that was going on, they should have estimates prepared. Then, when they knew how many thousands of pounds it would take to establish and equip a Harbour Board, they would see what position they were in. But the present method seemed a very inadequate way to go about it. He thought they would require to face the question of rating, in the district, as other Harbour Boards had done; it was a mistake for them to shut their eyes to a possibility of that kind. The request that, in addition to the foreshore, the Government should hand over the dues from the Bailway Department was the cardinal point of the deputation. All he could say was that the matter would be fully considered. There were similar cases of warves under the Eailway Departmeuin the colony, and if the Govern, ment were asked to hand over the wharves, it would have to refuse, in three oases out of five. In their case, the request showed a laudable desire, but the Government bad to be very careful before giving an answer. If they had the whole of the position before them and showed a disposition to take some of the burden upon themselves, then he thought it would be a very proper thing fer them to ask the Government to help them. In the meantime, however, before going any further they wanted the Government to hand over something which it had paid for and which was requisite for the business of the Railway Department. There was more than one side to the question, and he would promise them to have the whole matter investigated and place the results before the member for the district at the earliest opportunity. A Harbour Board was a very important matter to them, but they could “ pay too much for their whistle.” In any case he did not think that a properly equipped Harbour Board could be obtained by escaping some of the responsibilities attaching to it. New Plymouth, Waitara, Gisborne, Otago, Canterbury, and Southland districts had taken very heavy obligations upon themselves in connection with their Harbour Boards. He recognised the very representative nature ot the deputation, and he would bring the matter before the Ministers for Railways and Marine, but they had to be careful to guard against placing themselves in a position to enable other places to come forward with requests, saying, “ Look what you have done for Foxton”—as in fact, the deputation had pointed to Patea and Wanganui. The Mayor (Mr Nash) thanked the Premier for his kindness in receiving the deputation, and said he hoped the matter would receive the favourable consideration of the Government.

At a meeting of the Woodville Borough Council held on Thursday last, a letter was read from the Foxton Chamber of Commerce stating they were taking steps to form a Harbour Board for the port of Foxton, and asking the co-operation of the Woodville Borough in assisting them in their endeavours to get a Bill through Parliament for that purpose.— Another letter, saying that a deputation would wait on the Premier re the matter. —The Mayor advised caution. —Cr Redwood asked if it would not benefit Woodville should the river of Foxton be improved ? Woodville would have a better service and cheaper freight —Cr Noedl moved, “That the Mayor join the deputation to the Premier as delegate of the Council.” —Cr Motley seconded, but feared that rating powers might be sought by the proposed Board. If the Mayor could get an assurance that there would not be such, he would suggest that the Mayor support the proposal.— Councillors were doubtful as to

whether rating powers would not be sought in the future. —The motion was canied, the Mayor saying he look it that if there was the faintest chance of rating powers being asked for in the future, the Council would drop the proposal “likea hot potato.”—Councillors : “That’s right.”—Examiner.