FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1074, 25 November 1911, Page 3

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

ORDINARY MEETING

The ordinary bi-monthly meeting of the Foxton Harbour Hoard was held at Palmerston North on Thursday. Present ; Messrs P. Henuessy (chairman), A.J. Gibbs. J. A. Nash, W. T. Wood, B. K. Gardener, G, J. Hartord and W. E. Barber. SECR K’i'A RV ’ S R K PORT. The secretary reported the amount to credit at the Bank of New Zealand at Z 303 12s .Sd. Since last meeting the following amounts have been placed to credit: —Pilotage : July £3O rys yd, August £23 2s yd, September £23 17s yd, October £3 ids 3d : wharfage : July £4 ys, August ,£5 18s, September £3 7s ; rents ; July 17s 6d, August/'37 10s, September £io 15s: river lighting: July £7 10s, August £7 1 os, September £3, October 1 os, making the total receipts £l7O ss. The expenditure for the same period totalled 13s nd, made up as follows : Harbour master £73, secretary and sundries £26 ys 2d, labour and new boat £l3 3s 6d, goods os yd, printing,and advertising Bill os Bd, planting marram grass ,£l2 12s, sub. to Association and bank charges £1 Ss. The matter of the Empowering Bill and the reason for its temporary withdrawal from last session of Parliament will be explained by the Chairman. The committee appointed to meet tenants of Sanatorium sections visited he locality as arranged. There are 1 r beach sections and four sections at the Sanatorium available for lease. Correspondence has been received from the Marine Engineer respecting the shoaling ot the liver opposite the West Coast Shipping Co’s, coal bins, strongly recommending a spoon hand dredge as the best means of removing the shoal. This was dealt with by the local members of the Board and a contract let at £l3 for the construction of the dredge. This is now completed and a start will be made on the 'n>il directly after the presui.L tides. A letter from the West Coast Steamship Co., will be submitted in this connection. Applications for transfer ol sections Irom F. Wells to O. 11. Clelaud, P. Robert to W. C. Turner, Collins and Nisbett to Nisbett, and T. Rimmer to W. Devine, require the Board’s confirmation. Mr Newman M.P., succeeding in obtaining a grant of £230 for deepening the river, which will be payable either in instalments or in one sum on the Board furnishing a certificate as to the amount expended.—The report was adopted.

It was decided on the motion of Mr Nash seconded by Mr Wood, to write to the Minister for Marine thanking him for the grant of ,£250. and also to Mr Newman expressing the Board’s appreciation of his efforts in this connection. TIIH IiML’OWICKING mu.. In connection with the withdrawal of the Foxlon Harbour Board Kmpowering Bill, the Chairman explained that the reason for this was because of the strong opposition to same, particularly from Feildiug, the late period of the session in which it was brought forward, and further, Mr Guthrie M.P., for Oroua, had stated that he would stonewall the Bill for all it was worth, tie had talked the matter over with Messrs Newman, Field and Guthrie M’s.P., and decided that under the circumstances it would be belter to withdraw the Bill. It was now a matter for the board to decide what steps should be taken to thorougmy explain the objects of the Bill to the Feildiug people and endeavour to get their support in getting the Bill put through next session.

Mr Nash thought it would be best to let the matter stand over until about two months before the next session and then perhaps call a public meeting at Keildiug and thoroughly explain the Bill In the ratepayers. He was of opinion that under the circumstances the Chairman did the right thing in withdrawing the Bill, and moved that the Chairman be accorded a very hearty vole of thanks for his work in connection with the Bill. The motion was seconded by Mr Harford and carried unanimously. Mr Harlord said the real opposition from Feildiug was on the part of one or two storekeepers and a few members of the Cnamber ol Commerce, who delegated to themselves the power to go and oppose the Bill. As the Feildiug representative on the Board, these people had ignored him and had strougly opposed the Bill, although they really knew nothing about its objects. The recent strike in connection with the shipping trade had been the means o: increasing the prices of goods in Feildiug, and he had at the time taken the opportunity of interviewing different storekeepers and writing to the paper pointing out the advantages of getting goods through Foxtou and showing that it would be to the ratepayers of Feildiug own advantage to support the Empowering Bill in connection with the Foxtou Harbour Board. He believed that if at the present time a poll were taken m Feildiug they would agree to inclusion in the rating area. Mr Gardener said that Mr Guthrie M.P., had stated that he didn’t know the rights and wrongs of the Bill, but he had to oppose because he had been told to. Mr Gardener contended that this was not a creditable admission for a member 0! Parliament to make. Belore opposing it he should certainly have gone thoroughly into the matter and found out the reasons for the opposition to it. The Chairman acknowledged

the vote of thanks and expressed j his appreciation of the assistance he had received from all members of the Board. ADDITIONAL SHIPPING. A letter was read from the agents of the Canterbury Steamship Company, advising that if the Buxton bar an 1 river could he deepened to enable vessels drawing ten feet to negotiate the harI hour with safety it would be an inducement lor vessels like the "Breeze” and “Storm” to work Foxton regularly from Southern produce ports. The Chairman said he had interviewed the Wellington agents ot the Company and understood that if the depth of water was satisfactory the vessels would work Foxton twice a month. This would mean anything between ,£2OO and £3OO additional revenue per annum. VOTE TO CHAIRMAN. Mr Nash brought up the question of making an allowance to the Chairman, and said that according to the amendment to the Harbours Act provision for same had been made. He kuew the Chairman had expended a lot of money out of his own pocket in getting information in connection with the Board. He moved that the Chairman be voted £2O to deiray expenses incurred to Dec. 31st, 1911. The motion was seconded by Mr Wood and carried unanimously. THE SECRETARY. Mr Bock said that he regretted very much to have to ask the Board to relieve him ol his duties as secretary after the end of the present financial year. To have to leave his business that day had greatly inconvenienced him and he should therefore be glad to be relieved. He assured the members of the Board that he would always take a keen interest in its affairs and would be only too pleased to do anything he could to further its interests. The Chairmau hoped that Mr Bock would see his way to recou- , sider his decision. He bad depended a great deal on the secretary who uow had everything at his linger ends. Mr Nash said the Board should make the remuneration such as svould induce Mr Bock to continue, , or arrange lor some assistance. , The secretary said that it was not ( a matter of remuneration. If the Board could arrange for someone else to conduct the Palmerston , meetings it would assist him to a j great extent. j It was decided to leave the ( matter in the hands of the Foxton members to make some arrange- j meut with Mr Bock.