FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1242, 7 May 1914, Page 2

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

ANNUAL, REPORT,

The following is the annual report of the Chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board, to be presented to a meeting of the Board to be held at Palmerston N. on Tuesday next, 12th inst., at 1.15 p.ra. : “Reviewing last year’s transactions, the year commenced with a credit balance of £465 8s 3d and closed with £542 9s 1 id. The stoppage of traffic through the strike caused the Board a heavy loss. The efforts made to obtain control of the wharf and in submitting petition and Bill to Parliament entailed an expenditure of over £4O and extra cost in members travelling' expenses, and the matter Is still unsettled. Taking all things into consideration the Board has come through fairly well. The number and tonnage of vessels visiting the port was 198 vessels representing 25,099 tons, against 231 vessels and 26,967 tons for 1912 ; a difference of 33 vessels representing 1,868 tons. It was fully expected the year would have been a record one. “Referring to the matter of the wharf, every effort was made to bring about a settlement as to purchase. The Board was faced with a price of ,£28,000 and given a limited time to consider it. After a conference with the Honourable the Minister for Railways, a petition was presented and was before a Committee of the House. The Bill to authorise the Board to borrow £20,000 was before the local Bills Committee, aud on each occasion, and the adjournments of the meetings of the Committees, the Board was represented, but through the stress of the strike aud the final hurry iu Parliament to complete the session, it was thought better to withdraw the Bill rather than risk it being shelved. “At a subsequent conference with the Honourable the Minister for Railways, the time allowed for negotiations was extended but no reduction iu the price, ,£28,000, could be obtained. An effort was made to get a definite promise of railway connections to a new wharf, if the Board decided to build one. The Minister replied : ‘if the proposition was put before him it would be considered.' This matter has not been proceeded with further on account of a reply given by the Honourabe the Minister of Marine at a public meeting iu Boston. He was asked, ‘if he would grant a permit to the Board to build a wharf.’ His reply was, ‘no, because the present wharf was the property of the whole Dominion.’ The Honourable the Minister of Marine had previously visited Foxtou. He expressed his sympathy with the Board in its present position (i.e. having to bear the burden through the neglect to secure the wharf years ago). He would, in the event of the present negotiation? for purchase not succeeding, vote .£4OO from his Department and try to influence the Minister for Railways to vote alike sum, the Board also to provide ,£4OO and submit a scheme for dredging the river for his approval. The Honourable the Minister for Railways confirmed this later and the Board is making full enquiries for a suitable dredge before incurring the expense of a further report. “It has been shown the net earnings of the wharf has averaged £■l4oo per annum for the past five years. The Board saves the Marine Department between two aud three hundred pounds a year, and it is therefore only reasonable to expect substantial help from both Departments to improve the river aud bar and make the port available on all tides. “The Board has again to seriously consider the position and devise some means of bringing about a more equitable position.”