The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, January 22, 1916. WHARF & RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1500, 22 January 1916, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, January 22, 1916. WHARF & RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Aftkr years of effort —deputalionising successive Ministers, the holding of public meetings, columns and columns of newspaper agitation and visitations of Cabinet Ministers to the locality, Cabinet has at last appointed a Commission to settle the basis oi transfer of the Foxton wharf from the Railway Department to the Foxton Harbour Board. The Commission appointed consists of the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout (than whom no better qualified judicial mind in the Dominion could be secured to preside over the Commission), Mr Cyrus Williams (engineer to the Dyttelton Harbour Board and an expert in matters pertaining to harbour works) and Mr W. M. Hannay (late manager of the Manawatu Railway Co., whose knowledge of district railway affairs will be invaluable in connection with that phase of the Commission’s work dealing with the proposed linking up of the Main Trunk Dine between Greatford or Marton and Devin and the extension of the Sandon tramway with the main line at either Greatford or Marton). Cabinet is to be commended for its wisdom in the selection of the personnel of the Commission, which should meet with the unanimous approval of all concerned. The Railway Department and Harbour Board will have as advocates wellknown legal luminaries. Cabinet has insisted upon including railway matters within the scope of the Commission, as the Minister holds that the interest of the district railways and port are inseparable. The Harbour Board did its utmost to restrict the scope of enquiry to the wharf alone. In any case the Commission must arrive at a separate finding in connection with the transfer of the wharf, and we question whether the proposed linking-up of the Main Trunk Dine between Marton and Devin or the extension of the tramway from Sandon to Greatford will prejudice the Commission in coming to a lair and equitable decision touching the wharf. Railway matters will arouse the opposition of Palmerston, but all parties are united in their desire to see the Board come into its own in respect to the wharf. Cabinet’s decision, although the scope of enquiry will not meet with general approval, opens the way to push a national work forward. The Harbour Board is armed with all the facts and data it requires to go at any moment before the Commission, and it only remains for the local bodies between Devin and Marton and as far north as Taihape to prepare its case on the railway issues. In conversation with the Mayor on the subject he suggests that a conference of all local governing bodies be held to discuss railway matters without loss of time, and there is no reason why he should not set the ball rolling by convening same. We desire to place on record the quiet and persistent efforts of Mr W. H.

Field M.P. in keeping the matter so persistently before Ministers, and it is due to him that at last Cabinet has been compelled to act. He has had material assistance from Mr Ed. Newman, who for years has taken a keen and active interest in the port and railway matters. Messrs Guthrie, Buick and Escott have also given Mr Field a good backing. If the Commission commences its sittings early next month, no time must be lost by local bodies in preparing their brief.