The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, May 1, 1915. A FORWARD MOVE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1393, 1 May 1915, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, May 1, 1915. A FORWARD MOVE.

Tiik letter to the Premier by the member for the district, which appears elsewhere, will be read with interest by- the local public as the matters dealt with are of vital importance to Foxton's future. So far as the wharf purchase question is concerued, the iniquitous stand taken by the Railway Department in pocketing the revenue earned in this connection by the port and wrongly diverted to the working railways account, contrary to the provisions laid down in the Harbours Act, are 100 familiar to our readers to need further elaboration or comment. Suffice it to say that the port has been deprived of thousands of pounds which should have been expended for its betterment, and now the Board is called upon to pay a price to the Railway Department for usurping the legitimate rights of the Board. As this matter is practically up for settlement we await with interest the finding of the Court of Arbitration.

In respect to the sand drift menace, Mr Field’s suggestion that where drifting sand areas, owned bv private individuals, are being neglected, the Government should take them over and plant them, is worthy of the Government’s serious consideration. Of course, there is another alternative and that is to compel by law private owners to abate the menace by adopting remedial measures, as applies to noxious weeds aud other pests.

The most vital points touched on by Mr Field, however, are closer settlement and the Stale acquisition of flax areas. So lar as these matters are concerned we do not think any great obstacle will be placed in the way of the Government by private owners. A petition containing upwards of 000 signatures of borough residents has been obtained calling upon the Premier to move in the matter and on the face cf it we cannot see any grave reason why immediate preliminary steps should not be taken by the Lands Department in getting to work. We understand a deputation will accompany the petition to the Premier at the earliest possible moment.