FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1082, 14 December 1911, Page 3

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD

A meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board was held at Foxton on Wednesday. There were present ; Messrs Heuuessy (chairman;, Nash, Woods, Harford, Barber and Gibbs. The members of the Board first visited the Beach and inspected tin.- site of the proposed pier and oilier inovations asked for by the Beach tenants. The ordinary meeting was held afterwards in the Drainage Board office. SECRETARY'S REPORT. The Secretary submitted the following report; —"It will be advisable to fix the contribution by tenants towards Road interest for the year xgi2, so that the amount can be added to rent accounts when sent out. It will be necessary to formally cancel leases of sections numbers 36, 42 ami 49 in order to clear accounts. The matter of accidents to vessels at the bar, and in the river appear to have been reported without inquiry into the causes, aud in the interests of the port the Board should put the matter right. To assist it I have asked the Harbourmaster for details, aud his report will be submitted to you. No reply has yet been received from Wanganui respecting dredge ; possibly the matter is held up pending a meeting of the Board. The question of a dredge should be further considered, it only tor river purposes, until the Board cau see its way for one to deal withlboth the river aud bar. The report of the Engineer to the Waikato River Board published iu the Auckland Weekly is interesting in this connection and is attached hereto. The matter of dredging does not only apply to the river below the wharf, but also above it. It is difficult tor the river steamers to get through without being stuck up. The matter of flaxmill refuse being allowed to flow unchecked into the river should again be brought under the notice of the authorities.

It was decided ou the motion of Mr Nash, seconded by Mr Gibbs that leases of sections 36, 42 and 49 be cancelled through non-pay-ment of rent.

The contribution by tenants towards interest aud sinking fund on account of Beach Road Loan, was fixed at 15s lor 1912, In couuectiou with that portion of the report referring to dredging, it was decided ou the motion of Mr Nash, secluded by Mr Wood, that the matter be considered at the next meeting of the Board. PASSENGER LAUNCH. Mr P. E. Dauiell made application for a license to carry passengers iu the motor launch Tauiora on the Mauawatu River. It was pointed out that the Harbourmaster had not yet had ■an opportunity of surveying the launch, and the matter was left iu the hands of the Chairman and Secretary to deal with. THE PROPOSED JETTY.

In connection with the proposed jetty at the Heads, Mr Mash moved that an estimate be obtained forthwith of the cost of erecting a jetty at the site selected, and immediately upon receipt of same, that the Chairman, Mr Wood and the mover wait upon the Minister for Marine, asking that a subsidy up to be granted. It speaking to the motion Mr Nash said be thought it was the duty of the Board to assist the people who had taken up sections at the Beach. Whilst he admitted that they were not paying a large rent, it could not be denied that if the people hadn’t gone there and made the resort what it was at the present time the Bond would not have been in its present position. They must also lake into consideration that at the end of nine years there would be a re-valuation of the Beach sections, and no doubt the tenants would then have to pay a largmy increased rent, and the Boa ul would then be getting a very fine income from the seaside. The tenants now oiler to pay TIOO towards the cost of the jetty, and he considered it was the Board s duty to nave same erected. An estimate ul the cost should be at ouce obtained, and il they could get a reasonable subsidy from the Minister be did not think the Board’s contribution would need to be very great. Mr Harford seconded the motion, and said that one of his chief reasons lor supporting the erection ot the jetty was because the tenants at the Beach had shown that they were willing to help themselves. He was of opinion that if the matter wete put before the Minister in the right light he would grant a subsidy. Messrs Wood and Barber also supported the motion. The Chairman said that according to the Harbour Act it was not legal lor the Board to expend any of its luuds iu the mauuer suggested. Mr Nash said that au Order-iu-Couucil would put that matter right. The Chairman said that one ot the chief arguments used by the Board iu asking that the wharfages should be handed over was that according to the old Foxtou Harbour Board Act the money derived from the wharf should be expended on the river, and this had not been done, and he did not think il would be cousisteut ou the part of the Board to suggest now that an Order-iu-Couucil should be put through, in order that money could be spent ou the erection of a jetty. Personally be diu not anticipate there would be any tri able in getting the teuauts to subscribe whatever additional

money was required for this purpose. The Board was iu need of all its revenue, and if a dredge were obtained the few pounds that it was suggested should be speut iu connection with the jetty would come in very handy for dredging purpose i He considered the Board had treated the tenants very fairlv.

Mr Gibbs considered the tenants should pay for the jetty. The Board would require all its money if a dredge were obtained. In any case if a grant were obtained from the Minister he did not think there would be any necessity lor the Board to pay anything. The motion on being put was carried.