The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 28, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1049, 28 September 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, September 28, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Thk Foxton Harbour Board Bill, promoted to create a rating area to enable the Board to provide security for a loan to enable it to purchase the whart from the Railway Department, has met with strong opposition in Feildiug and other parts of the proposed rating area, petitions against the Bill have been largely signed and were to be presented to Parliament. The Board’s proposal has not been clearly understood or has not been properly explained to those who are actively opposing the measure. It has been clearly proved that the revenue accruing from wharfages would in itself be sufficient to meet all charges against the loan without striking a rate, but this statement will not be accepted by opponents, which practically amounts to a charge of misrepresentation against the Board. At the last meeting of the Feilding Chamber of Commerce a representative was appointed to go before the House to oppose Feilding’s inclusion in the rating area. Then a general discussion took place on the Foxton port of which the following is a sample: Mr Tolley pointed out that at one time the Foxton harbour had been of some benefit in the carrying of goods by a cheaper rate, but of late almost the whole of that advantage was lost through the lal.lng of shipping rates. Mr Bramwell pointed out that it was ridiculous to suggest that there was any great increase of trade to be gained by the improvement of the Foxton harbour. He- had been informed on reliable authority that the Queen of the South could easily cope with all the trade. For three weeks out of the month she was not a full ship, and it was only during the other week that there was anything like a large demand on her accommodation. Even that would be dealt with, for a larger boat was being built for the trade between Wellington and Foxton and Patea, The present shipping facilities were sufficient for the trade, and he was strongly opposed

to the proposals contained in the Bill. Mr Atkinson pointed out that Fox ton's usefulness was largely as a check against excessive railway rates, but there was very little of that left now. There was not an atom of truth in the statement that Feildiug business men favoured the proposal, and he strongly supported the necessity tor a protest against the passage of the Bill in its present form. The Chairman thought it would be advisable to keep in mind the necessity to get a provision inserted in the Bill, if Feilding was not struck out of it, allowing the ratepayers here the right to vote against Feilding’s inclusion in the rating area.

Mr Bramwell’s statements in respect to the Queen of the South coping with all the trade etc., are as absurb as they are untrue. We don’t know where this gentleman got his information from, but anyone with a knowledge of local shipping will be amused at his ignorance of the facts. As a public man he should have been careful to obtain information from official sources before making misleading statements, calculated to create false impressions in the minds of the Feilding people, tie may have a conscientious objection to Feilding being included in the harbour rating area, but his sidestep on to shipping information has caused him to flounder in ignorance.

In reference to the above, Cr. Geo. J. Harford, Feilding’s representative on the Board, writes to the local paper as under: “In yesterday’s issue you had a report of a meeting of the local Chamber of Commerce on the above question, in which it states that ‘ the representative for Feilding on the Foxtou Harbour Board was not warranted in stating that his attitude was supported by any one in business in the district.’ Surely, sir, the seven or eight gentlemen present at that meeting do not wish it to be understood that they comprise the whole of the business portion of the community, and that anyone outside this coterie does not count; because I can assure these gentlemen that there are other business men in the town that do support my attitude on this question. As representative of the ratepayers (and not only a few business men), I surely have a right to an opinion, especially as I have the whole of the facts and figures before me, and have gone to the trouble to attend meetings and to discuss with my fellow members of the Board the whole question. I have also published figures proving that freights were over 15s per ton cheaper via Foxton than by the Manawatu line. Yet neither the Chamber of Commerce nor anyone else has tried to disprove these figures. Another point, sir, is this; Although these gentlemen knew that they were going to discuss this question, neither they nor the Borough Council have had the courtesy to ask me, or even give me a chance, as member of the Board, to explain or discuss the proposal with them. As a matter of fact, until the Bill was published, the Chamber of Commerce did not know the amount of the loan, and I doubt if there is any member that knows the amount of the Feilding Borough’s contribution (if collected). Seeing, sir, that they have ignored me, I make no apology for acting on my own initiative and doing what I think best in the interests of the ratepayers as a whole (and not of a few business men). And if we can get reduced freights on goods in these days of keen competition, the ratepayers (and not only the storekeepers) must benefit.”

In view of the determined opposition shown by Feilding to the Foxton Harbour Board Roan Bill, the promoters have deemed it advisable not to attempt to force it through this session, but to hold it over till next session, and in the meantime see whether the objections held by Feildiug to being included in the rating area can be overcome. The Bill was to have been dealt with yesterday by the Local Bills Committee of the House of Represeusatives, and delegates from different parts of the proposed rating district, from Levin to Feildiug, attended at Wellington, some to oppose and others to assist. Foxton was represented by Mr Henuessy (Chairman of the Board) and Mr Moore (the Board’s solicitor). Upon a consultation with Messrs Newman and Field, members for Manawatu and Otaki respectively, it appears that as the Feilding Borough Council and Chamber of Commerce had instructed their Mayor and Chairman respectively, and also Mr Guthrie, their member, to oppose the Bill in every possible way, and similar instructions were given to Mr J. G. Wilson in respect to portion of the Manawatu County, it was hopeless to expect the Bill to pass this session, as only unopposed bills could be expected to receive a hearing. Any opposition would at once cause the Foxton Bill to be put at the foot of the list, and it would be included with the slaughter ol the innocents at the end ot the session, without any consideration whatever of its merits. In was accordingly arranged that all concerned should meet to consider the position, and to ascertain whether the Feilding representatives could not be induced to withdraw their objections to being included in the rating area ot the proposed harbour district. Ail the representatives of the local bodies from the different parts of the district met accordingly yesterday morn-

ing, and Mr Newman explained that the suggestion was to withdraw the Bill this session unless the Feilding representatives were disposed to give their consent to being included in it. A long discussion followed on the merits of the proposed measure. The Mayor of Feilding announced that under no circumstances whatever could Feildiug’s objections be withdrawn, and Mr Tolly, representing the Feilding Chamber of Commerce, upheld the same view, Mr Guthrie explained that his instructions from his constituents were to oppose the Bill in every possible way, and he would have to carry out his instructions. Mr Hennessy argued forcibly on the advantages to the whole district which would accrue from the Bill being passed into law, but the Feilding representatives remained unconvinced, and maintained that it would result merely in their being taxed without receiving any advantage whatever from the Foxtou Harbour. Mr Field, M.P., suggested that it might be advisable to let the Bill go before the Bocal Bills Committee, who would recommend it to the House, and as it would be about a month before the House would be ready to consider it, a conference might in the meantime be held with Feilding, which might have the effect ot overcoming their objections to being rated. Mr Newman, however, considered that there was no chance whatever of the Bocal Bills Committee recommending the Bill to be proceeded with when part ot the district ; which was proposed to be affected by it was opposed to it. Mr Guthrie considered it would be better to withhold the Bill this session and bring it forward if desired next session, by which time the portion in opposition could conler with a view to making up their differences if possible, rather than force it on now with a certainty of defeat, in which case the Board would have to commence the whole thing over again next session if they desiied to bring the measure forward again. The meeting finally agreed that for the present the Bill should be withdrawn. Messrs Newman, Hennessy and Moore attended before the Local Bills Committee accordingly, and a formal resolution was passed that the Bill be withdrawn by permission of the House. The Board will probably consider the advisability of conferring with the Feilding authorities, and discussing the matter fully in the hope that on being further enlightened, as to the effects of the proposed Bill, their objections to being included in the rating area may be overcome. Of course, if it had not been for the opposition shown by this part of the district, the Bill would have passed into law without any difficulty. There can be no question as to the great benefit which would result to the whole of the district proposed to be covered by the Bill, if it passed into law. An immense improvement to the river and t > shipping facilities wo.tld f - . '..lt, but as long

as part of the district which should be included holds out against it, there is no hope whatever of obtaining the desired end.

A CABUC message states that Mr Winston Churchill, Secretary for the Home Office, after a full enquiry and taking the best advice, has decided that the JohnsonWells contest is illegal, and unless voluntarily abandoned steps will be taken to prevent it. This implies that if necessary a summons will be obtained with a view of getting the promoter bound over not to cause a breach of the peace. The promoter will endeavour to prove the contest is legal. It is pleasing to know that London is frowning upon the attempt to use one of its public buildings for the purpose of holding a brutal, demoralising, and money-making blood-letting exhibition. What would be the moral effect of such a fight ? It is said that since Johnson gave Jeffries, (.“the white man’s hope,”) his quietus, there is no holding the coloured races in certain parts of the United States, South Africa and India, and until a white man can be found to batter the “ black coon ” into a senseless heap, they will continue to assert themselves. It seems almost inconceivable that racial feeling should hinge on manifestations of individual physical endurance of a brutal nature. It is absurd to argue that the superiority of a race depends upon such an issue, and to allow this debacle to take place on English soil would be a national disgrace.

Sir John Findlay has decided to accede to the invitation from Par■uell to contest that constituency at the forthcoming election. The Attorney-General stakes his political existence on winning the seat. If he is not returned he goes back to his profession. It would appear, however, that his chances of success are very fair, for he is reported to have said that “he believes he can win the seat both on party and personal grounds. Auckland was much the largest city in the Dominion, and he would feel a special distinction in representing an Auckland constituency. He believed he could win a Wellington seat had he desired, but could not, under existing conditions, honourably contest a Wellington seat against a man who had supported his Government, and the definitelychosen Government candidate for that seat.” As previously stated, we believe Sir John Findlay has a place to fill,in the Parliament of this country, but the electors like to feel they are free and independent and have a decided objection to being made a convenience of—on the whole they are personal

freeholders. They like to saytx “this man is the product of our'V

own constituency.” True, Sir John has “been invited” to contest the seat, but do those who forwarded the invitation truly represent a majority of the Parnell electors ? We wish him success, but at the same time believe he is taking a big risk.