The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, October 12, 1909. HARBOUR BOARD MATTERS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 493, 12 October 1909, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, October 12, 1909. HARBOUR BOARD MATTERS

On Friday a deputation consisting of Messrs Wilford, Newman, Daurensou, Vigor Brown and other members of Parliament waited on the Hon. Mr Millar, Minister of Marine, and requested that a special Harbour Board Committee should be set up consisting of members representing harbour board districts to consider the proposed new bill and report to the Government. After considerable discussion, the Minister consented to this being done. The fact of Mr Newman being a member of this committee leads us to hope that at last an opportunity will be afforded to air, both in committee and on the floor of the House, the disabilities under which the Foxton Harbour Board labours. That the Railway Department should be allowed to collect the only adequate source of revenue, i.e. the wharfages, which go to swell the funds of the working railways to the detriment of the port, is unjust and scandalous. Even since the Harbour Board has been constituted insult has been added to injury by the further perpetration of a rank injustice by the Railway Department, which, we hope, will not be allowed to pass without probing and protest by the Harbour Board. As is known part of the Board’s endowment is the foreshore to high water mark from McGregor’s Bend to the Heads. Portion of Messrs Devin and Co’s, grading store encroaches on a very valuable part of this endowment, and common justice demands that this influential firm should pay a fair rental to the Board for the land and space so occupied. It may be mentioned that the firm hold the land on lease from the Railway Department. By some means the firm and Railway Department quietly squeezed the Harbour Board out of the question and a Gazette notice vestedjthat portion of the endowment occupied by Messrs Devin and Co., in the Railway Department. If the Harbour Board are going to take such hobnailed treatment lying down, then we mistake our men. We might add that one or two Board members had an inkling of what was going forward two months’prior to the Gazette notice appearing. Anyhow, the Railway Department and Messrs Devin and Co., have scored —for the present. We are just about “full up” of harping on the iniquitous treatment meted out to the local port, and are pleased to know that at last our member will have an opportunity to air the whole matter.

Mr Newman has given notice to move in the House : That there be laid before this House a return showing—(l) The cost of the Foxton wharf (a) to the Public Works Department, when built, (h) in maintenance aud repairs (if any) to the Railway Department, aud the nature of such since 1886; aud (2) the receipts to the Railway Department from all sources for each financial year since 1886.