THE FOXTON WHARF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 914, 5 November 1910, Page 2

THE FOXTON WHARF.

BOARD’S PETITION BEFORE PAREI AMENT. RAID WAY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS A SETTLEMENT The Chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board received the following telegram Irom Mr E. Newman, M.P., on Thursday afternoon :—Re wharf petition, Railway Committee report to-day that as there is a willingness on the part of the Railway Department to sell and on the part of the Foxton Harbour Board to purchase the wharf at Foxton, this petition be referred to the Government with a view to arriving at a settlement of the price of wharf and goodwill by arbitration.” Mr Newman moved that the evidence submitted in support of Ihe Board’s petition be printed, which was carried. After some discussion the Minister of Railways, the Hon, J. A. Millar, remarked that the Board wanted to purchase the wharf on the basis of its original cost. He wished to base it on the earning power. He was prepared to sell at ,£23,000, which was the capitalised cost of 3 per cent, on the earnings. The wharf was built out of railway earnings, and it was an unprecedented thing that a local body should demand a wharf at cost price. There would be a howl if the Government did such a thing. The people of Foxton would have to rouse themselves if they wanted to make a harbour. It would cost £30,000 to make the Foxton river fit for navigation by steamers of twe've feet draft, but the only result of improvements would be to send more trade to Wellington. No doubt the Board will discuss and lormulate a policy at an early date.