The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, May 26, 1910. THIS LOCAL PORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 844, 26 May 1910, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, May 26, 1910. THIS LOCAL PORT.

The recent fresh in the river does not appear, as expected, to have improved the bar. In fact, we are informed it has had the opposite effect. Last week the “ Queen ” stuck for a considerable time, and was further delayed in port despite the fact that she was only drawing six feet fore and aft. The “Gertie” and “Wairau” met with similar drawbacks, and, as we previously mentioned, the ‘ 1 Waverley ’ ’ and 1 ‘ Wootton ’’ were refused permission to make the bar, and proceeded elsewhere to discharge. Prior to last week, and for a period of two months, only three small cargoes of coal have been landed at the port, and coal has been railed from Wellington for local consumption. The position has become serious, and unless something is done at the earliest possible moment to improve the bar, there is every probability of the port becoming unnavigable. In the past we have refrained from publishing facts concerning the grounding of vessels while entering and leaving the port, and serious delays of shipping, believing the publication of such details would unduly prejudice the port. By adopting such a policy we have been shielding the Railway Department, which controls the revenue, amounting to about ,£2500 per year and which is absorbed in the working railways account instead of improving the port. Out of this sum a very trifling amount is expended on the upkeep of the wharf. Treble the amount of general merchandise would be handled through the local port if merchants could rely on quick transit, but rather than take risks it is forwarded by other more expensive routes. The Harbour Board is alive to all that is taking place but is powerless to do anything. The Hon. J. A. Millar is not ignorant of all that is taking place, and possesses a good grasp of the situation. This point was our reason previovsly expressed,for opposing any individual buttonholing. The Minister is undoubtedly sympathetic to the Board’s requiiements, bat he also is laced with a number of serious difficulties which will have to be discussed by Cabinet, and disposed of before the Board’s request can be finally settled. What is now required is for the Board to wait on the Minister without unnecessary loss of time.

On the i6tb instant, the Board wrote to the Minister of Railways pointing out the unsatisfactory state of the bar, and asking his Department and the Marine Department if they could assist the Board in any way in improving the entrance to the river. The clerk to the Board has just received a reply from the Minister under date 21st instant, in which he regrets to learn of the unsatisfactory state of the bar, and the necessity for dredging. He adds: “It would appear that the only way to raise funds to make the necessary improvements is to strike a rate in the district, as the Government is unable to provide the money required.’’ The Minister, however, has overlooked the important fact that the Board is minus rating powersl and, further, even if it had, has no defined area. To suggest rating over an area, the greater part of which is already included in another Harbour district, in order to raise sufficient funds to carry out necessary improvements and so further increase the enormous profits of the working railways account from the port, is surely a little joke on the part of the Minister. By acting on the suggestion the Board would be no better off than they are at present. Mr Newman, M.P., has been

communicated with this morning asking him to arrange a meeting between the Board and Minister either at Shannon or Levin, on the latter’s return from the Auckland province.