FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 947, 28 January 1911, Page 2

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

—* ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary bi-monthly meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board was held at Palmerston North on Thursday. Present :—Messrs P J. Hennessy (chairman), W. T. Wood, H. Tolley, J. G. Wilson J. A. Nash, B. R. Gardener, and G. H. Stiles. Mr Edward Newman M.P., was also in attendance.

FINANCES, The secretary reported that the amount to the credit of the Board at the Bank of New Zealand was i6s. Since last meeting the sum of £9B Ss id had been placed to credit, being rents 7s 6d, wharfages £l 6 15s id, pilotage £6+ 16s 6d, lease forms £3 gs, in addition to ,£lB7 10s received from the Treasury on account of grant of ,£250 for the improvement and maintenance of harbour. The balance-sheet for the year ended December 31st, 1910, was as under: —Receipts : Balance from last year 10s Sd, pilotage rents ,£152 17s 6d, lease forms £5 Ss, refund insurance 10s 4d, grants ,£lB7 10s, total £B2l 15s 4d, Expenditure; Harbour-master harbour master’s assistant £2(j 16s, re-erecting signal staff ,£l4 12s yd, repairs to buildings and plant ,£l3 15s 2d, kerosene and sundries £ll 2s id, accident insurance £4 Ss, lire insurance £1 ys, hire of launch for soundings £j, secretary’s salary £33 18s 4d, bonus to secretary for 1909 ,£ls, office expenses and custodian £6 2s 6d, rent of office £S 13s 4d, legal expenses ,£io 19s nd, printing, advertising and commission £25 is 6d, printing forms of lease £j 14s 6d, sub. to Harbour Association £2 2s 6d, audit £2 6s Sd, bank charge, cheque books and exchange £1 2s, balance Dec. 31st, 1910, ,£393 ns lod, total ,£B2l 15s 2d. —The balance sheet was adopted.

BEACH ROAD. The question of the amount of the contribution to be paid by the beach tenants towards the construction of the beach road was discussed. Mr Wilson said he did not think there would be any call this year. At the he thought it advisable that the amount should be collected from the tenants.

Mr Nash objected to this course. He said the tenants had not yet got a road and therefore nothing should be collected from them this year.

Mr Stiles agreed that it would not be fair to collect anything before the road was constructed. He brought up the question of the amount ot the Harbour Board’s annual contribution towards the cost of the road which had been promised. He thought that this should now be fixed, and moved that the Board’s contribution to loan tor road to the Beach be ,£l2 los per annum. This was seconded by Mr Nash and carried, Mr Wilson explained the steps that had been taken by the Mauawatu County Council in connection with the road. Matters were being pushed on as expeditiously as possible. As far as he could see it would be impossible to do more than make preparations this year, as it would be fully two months belore this money could be obtained. However, the County would do all in its power to push the work on as last as possible. It was decided not to collect any contribution from the tenants this year.

harbourmaster's report. The Harbourmaster reported as follows :—-There is a slight change in the bar. It has gone to the southward and has shoaled up a bit. There was about 9 to xoft 6iu at high water spring tides, and about Bft at high water neap tides. There is no change in the river, the channel being good right from the heads to the wharf. During last month twenty-three steamers crossed inwards and outwards.

signae station reserve. The Chairman said that there was some little misunderstanding between Mr Gray, who recently bought the lease of the Signal Station Reserve, and the Board. When the lease was put up for auction the property was described as 418 acres more or less. This is the whole area ot the reserve, including the bush, but the lessee knew that the Board’s intention was to reserve the bush. On account of the mistake made by the auctioneer the lessee now claims that if the bush is removed he shall have the use ot the land at the rental at present paid.

After some little discussion it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Chairman and Mr Stiles with power to act. This committee to also deal with an application from Mr Gray tor a transfer of the lease to Messrs Nisbet and Collins.

A report and estimate on the cost of fencing and draining the Omarupapaku bush, and an estimate of the value of the timber, furnished by Mr Hicktord, was read. The matter of disposing of the timber was left in the hands of Messrs Henuessy and Stiles. It was pointed out any drainage required would have to be carried out by the lessee. Mr Wilson said that the Mauawatu County Council had recently constructed a system of drainage along the series of lakes at the back of this reserve and if the lessee would join with another ratepayer the County would raise a loan to connect their drains with the ones recently constructed.

GKNKRAL. Accounts amounting to ,£7O us were passed lor payment. The matter of the purchase ot a

motor launch for the use of the harbourmaster for lighting the river etc., which had, at the previous meeting, been left in the hands of Messrs Hennessy and Stiles to report on was discussed, and it was eventually decided to purchase the hull offered by Messrs Levin and Co., Ltd., for ,£3O, and engine recommended by Mr Ross at £rio.

It was decided to purchase two life buoys and lines for the beach and to request the Minister for Marine to supply four for the wharf.

The transfer oi sections F. Woods to G. Langley, and A. La/.arette to G. Langley were agreed to.