FOXTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1261, 20 June 1914, Page 3

FOXTON.

SEAPORT OF MANAWATU. AN OLD TOWN WITH A FUTURE. The following article, which appeared in a special supplement of the Wellington Post on Wednesday last, will be read with interest locally: Foxton, the port of the Mauawatu, is one of the oldest towns in the district. Picturesquely situated near the mouth of the Manawatu river, along the banks of which its wharf runs, Foxton was the outlet of the produce of the Manawatu, and even of districts further inland, long before the Wellington-Manawalu Railway Company established direct connection with the capital city and deep sea commerce. Quite early in the history of the Dominion there was a trade between the Natives and casual voyagers up the coast from the mouth of the Manawatu. Jerningham Wakefield visited the district in 1840, and was much struck with the appearance of the country and its possibilities for, settlement. Early in the ’forties Captain Robinson opened up a trading establishment with the Natives of the Lower Manawatu, and Kebbell Bros, started the first sawmill in the district. Later one or two small sailing vessels were built and launched in the river. The staple industry of the district about Foxton was, however, then what it is to-day—flax. Ropewalks were supplying cordage for shipping quite early in the history of colonisation in New Zealand.

IN THE EARI.V DAYS. At that time the only communication with Wellington was by small sailing boat or else by tramping the long trail along the beach. Foxton itself was then known as Te Awahou. It was originally a Native reserve, and in 1855 —the real date of the foundation of the settlement —was occupied by Captain Robinson as a cattle run, Mr Thomas Cook opened the first store, and built a small wharf, at which various small sailing craft used to call in the coastal trade. The first steamer to cross the Manawatu Bar was the Wonga Wonga, piloted by Captain Kennedy. The Awahou Block, an area of 37,000 acres, was purchased in 1858 from the Natives by Dr Featherston, then Superintendent of the Wellington Province. The town of Foxton was then laid out, and started on its career with a population of about a hundred white people. In the next few years other large blocks of Native land were purchased—the Ahuaturanga Block, flanking the ranges, from I,ioto*i to Apiti, and including Palmerston North, 250,000 acres, and the Rangitikei-Mana-watu Block, between the Rangitikei and Oroua Rivers, as far as Cheltenham and Rewa, and including Fellding. In the next decade Palmerston North and Feilding were established as towns.

ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR. By the beginning of the ’seventies there were several flaxmills in the neighbourhood of Foxton, and the industry was flourishing. A wooden tramway gave the first access to the interior, and in 1876 this was converted into a proper railway, linking up Palmerston North and Foxton. In 1878 the railway was opened between Wanganui and Palmerston. In 1886 the Manawatu railway gave direct communication between Palmerston and district and Wellington, and Foxton suffered somewhat of a set-back. The port had, through the opening up of the inland areas, become very busy and prosperous. It was originally anticipated that the Manawatu Line would come through Foxton, and Foxtcnians are still hoping to see the day when a loop-line from Levin to Greatford will place Foxton once again on the main line. STEADY PROGRESS OF BOROUGH. Foxton was constituted a borough in 1888. It has made steady progress, varied by the ups and flowns of the flax industry. To-day it is a solid, clean little town of some i,7°o inhabitants, well laid out with distinctly up-to-date equipment in many respects. Two or three years ago a fire laid waste the centre of the town, and since then the Council has established a brick area, and new buildings have sprung up in appearance and numbers most striking for a small town. The chief public buildings are the Post Office, the Bank of New Zealand, and the Town Hall, in addition to many handsome shops and stores, mostly in brick. Foxton has its own municipal pictures run twice a week, and these have proved a profitable enterprise. Last year, after paying all expenses, there was a surplus of nearly out ot the pictures. At first there was some question as to the legality of the action of the Council in running pictures, but the Council won its test case, and now specific tight is given in the amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act. This is appreciated by other municipalities throughout New Zealand. Foxton has its recreation grounds in Victotia Park, •covering an area of ten acres. These are used lor all manner of sports, and the sandy. nature of the soil makes them fine wet grounds. Foxton’s cli--1 mate is exceedingly good, and it v mis«es much of the rainfall coming off the ranges along the Manawatu district. It is quite one of the most attractive towns in tbe district, and with its seaside resorts on the beach draws many Visitors from inland parts.

SCHEMES OF IMPROVEMENT. The town has also a well-laid and picturesquely situated racecourse. There are four hotels and four churches. There is a good bowling green and croquet lawn and asphalt tennis courts. The river is excellent for boating, and the town has its rowing club. Lighting is by gas from municipal gasworks, where it is proposed to spend in improvements. So far Foxton has no municipal water supply or drainage, but a most comprehensive scheme for both is to lie put before the ratepayers, involving, with other improvements, a loan of about ,£40,600. The water will be brought from the hills at the back of Shannon and across the Manawatu to the town. It is intended during the coming year to put down more concrete kerbings and water channels and to tar and sand the whole of Main Street. These are municipal improvements which many small towns of little greater population already have, but in the case of Foxton the difficulties have been greater through its remoteness from the main lines ol traffic along the railways. When it is fully equipped with water-supply and drainage Foxton will be excelled by few towns in its attractions as a residential town, and a holiday centre for visitors.

The Mayor is Mr G. H. Stiles, and the councillors are Messrs G. Coley, J. Chrystall, G. 0. Barber, L. R. Freeman, T- Henderson, R. D. Kempster, S. Read, A. Speirs, and G. Whibley. The town clerk and borough treasurer is Mr C, J. Kent-Johnston, F.P.A. (N.Z.). THE PORT, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE TOWN.

The headquarters of the Foxton Harbour Board, which meets at Palmerston North, are at Foxton. The chairman is Mr P. J. Hennessy and the members are Messrs J, A. Nash (Palmerston North), H. J. Clapham (Feilding), B. R. Gardener (Devin), W. E. Barber (Manawatu County Council), F. E. Jenks (Foxton), and E. R. Holben (Government representative). The Railway Department controls the Foxton wharf, and their average net revenue from shipping and other sources there is ,£ISOO a year, while the board's revenue is only per annum. This is derived trom piloting, and rents. It has always been a grievance with the people of Foxton that they should be so treated by the Government as nothing is being done by the Government to improve the port and the board has not sufficient revenue to undertake work of the kind. What is wanted badly is a dredge to clear the mouth of the river, and if this could be done, Foxton as a port would be vastly improved. As it is there is a very considerable trade in the export of flax and other produce, and the import of coal and stores for the inland districts. Foxton claims that the wharf for which the Government is asking rightly belongs to the town. Naturally the Government and the port constitutes a burning question locally as the possession of the wharf is deemed a vital matter to the progress of Foxton. No improvements can be made now as the benefit simply accrues to the Government through its control of the wharf. No doubt this question will be made a test for candidates at the coming elections.

THE EEVIN-GREATFORD RAILWAY. It has already been stated in the brief account of the career of Foxton at the beginning of this article that as originally contemplated by the Grey Ministery about 1880 the Manawatu line was planned to come through Foxton. The scheme has been revived in recent years under the name of the Levin-Greatford deviation. Under this proposal the line would branch off from the Main Trunk at Levin, crossing over the Manawatu, and from Foxton via the present railway to Himatangi, and thence over the tracks of the existing Sandon tramway to Sandon, across the Rangitikei to Bulls, and so to Greatford. The -saving in distance would be 17 miles, and in time fully one hour as there would be no grades to speak of except from Bulls to Greatford, and that would be a steady climb over gradually rising country. The cost of construction would be much below the average for the rest of New Zealand railways. The scheme will doubtless, be adopted later, but with so many more urgent railway works to be completed in the back country the advocates of the Uevin-Great-ford deviation will have to wait a little yet. From many points of view there is much to be said for the proposal, and it is being kept steadily in view by the towns and districts interested along 'the route.” N