THE LOCAL PORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1059, 4 February 1913, Page 3

THE LOCAL PORT.

AND RAILWAY TO THE

HEADS.

DISCUSSED BY THE PALMERSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A debate of considerable significance respecting the development of Foxtou Heads occurred at the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce meeting last evening, Mr T. R. Hodder said the necessity for extending the railway on to Foxtou Heads was become very apparent. It was the best seaside resort along all the coastline between Wanganui and Wellington, and the residents of a vast number of settlements in between would come to Foxton Beach for their annual picnics if they could get right out to the Heads by train. The number of residences there would then increase very fast, and the beach would be boomed. The handicap was the difficulty of getting there. They had to take train to Foxton and there catch a launch or coach for the rest of the journey, which cost as much as the train trip from Palmerston to Foxton. It there were a train right to the Heads then that beach would be thronged all through the season. It would be the popular seaside place for Palmerston, Feilding, Woodville, Pahiatua, and Eketahuna. The magnificent beach was unrivalled on this coast. The increase of residences would at once become enormous. The cost of the railway, of course, would have to be considered, but he thought the scheme feasible. The President (Mr Eliott) said Foxton was without doubt the natural outlet for all the Main Trunk Line.

The Mayor (Mr J. A. Nash): The only distance of new railway required now is about two miles. He had a railway engineer looking into the question, and it was found it would cost not more than /8000, It was pointed out then that three school excursions from Palmerston would yield enough to pay a year’s interest on that sum. The Government, however, would not then take the scheme up. We tried to get Mr Seddon to take an interest in it, but. he merely said he would take our word' for the whole thing, but was not going down there to see. I pointed out that there were 40,000 or 50,000 people interested in the proposals, and that if the Government ignored their wishes it would lose the three seats. Sure enough, the seats have gone. Mr Tasker spoke of the importance to commerce of being able to bring their goods in through Foxton instead of over the Rimutakas. Mr. Bennett said that at present the shipping facilities via Foxton were not good enough. Most Palmerston importers would rather pay three times the freight and get it from Wellington by rail. Mr Eliott said if the Harbour Board got the revenue from the wharf, as they should, they would be. able to deepen the river and allow a larger class of vessel to navigate it. The whole trouble in this respect rests with the wharf , and the Harbour Board. That is the crux of the whole position. If there were a branch railway line carried down to the Heads it would be very useful.

The Mayor; You had better take up the proposal I made a few minutes ago and arrange a party of ten or twenty to go down. Mr Eliott; You send us the invitation.

The Mayor (as a Harbour Board member) : We will do that, you may be quite sure. It was mentioned the cottages at the Heads now numbered over seventy. . -It'was understood that after investigation the scheme will be further discussed in conjunction with representatives of other districts interested.