FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1505, 3 February 1916, Page 3

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

A meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board was held at Palmerston North on Tuesday afternoon. Present : Messrs Hennessy (chairman), Nash, Jenks, Clapham, Barber and Robertson. A letter was read from Mr B. R. Qardener tendering his resignation as a member of the Board as from December 31st, 1915. Gardener said he would be pleased to note the progress regarding the purchase of the whan from the Government, and felt sure a satisfactory price would be arranged and before long the Foxton port would become a most important one. He thanked the members of the Board for the kind consideration shown him in the past. • On the motion of Mr Nash, Mr Gardener’s resignation was accepted with regret, and the secretary was instructed to write thanking him lor his past efforts in connection with the Board. The Chairman said he was very sorry indeed that circumstances compelled Mr Gardener to resign, as he was one of the most energetic and lar-seeing members of the Board. In the past he had attended meetings at great inconvenience to himself, and it was a pity that he should have occasion to resign when the Board was on the eve oi a v, r in. He said he had pleasure in welcoming Mr Robertson as a member of the Board. Mr Robertson bad had Parliamentary experience, which he had no doubt he would be d ble to turn to good effect for the Board. Mr Robertson thanked the Chairman for the welcome accorded him. As most of the members knew, he had taken a keen interest in the Board’s affairs in the past, and he hoped they would soon see a successful termination to their efforts in connection with the wharf. TREASURERS STATEMENT.

The Treasurer’s statement, as follows, was approved : The year’s transactions at December 31st closed with a credit balance at bank on current account of 9s 3d, plus fixed deposit total 9s 3d. The receipts since last meeting totalled ys 2d, leaving a credit to dale of as 3d, plus fixed deposit total ,£716 2s 3d. The receipts were for pilotage, rents, and river lighting, and the expenditure was as iollows : Harbour master .£33 6s Sd, secretary and office expenses £\2 4s 6d, abdit £\ 13s qd, members’ travelling expenses 163 6d, chairman’s honorarium ,£23, Manawatu County ,£l6 73 6d, Foxton Borough goods, etc., .£lO 10s 1 id, Levin Borough elections £2 10s 3d.

REPORT OF SUB COMMITTEE. Your committee met to consider the application of the harbourmaster for an increase ot salary. There were present, Messrs Hennessy, Nash and Jenks. It was decided to make an increase of £2 6 per annum as from February Ist. It was also decided to recommend the contribution to road loan interest for the current- year be ten shillings. —The report was adopted. REFUSE FROM FLAXMILLS. The|Chairman mentioned that a good deal ot trouble was being experienced in connection with the refuse from the flaxmills that was allowed to get into the river. This refuse got round the anchors of the buoys and made it very difficult to lift them when required. In recommending the increase ot salary to the harbourmaster, the sub-committee had provided that in addition tp his ordinary duties he should make periodical visits from Rangiotu round the river to Foxton to see that the flaxmillers do not allow the stripper slips, etc., to get into the river. It was decided on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Nash, that the harbour master be instructed to take the necessary steps to prevent refuse from flaxmills flowing into the river, and make periodical inspections of the higher reaches where flaxmills are working. HARBOURMASTER’S REPORT. The Harbourmaster reported as follows: —There is very 'little change in the bar since my last report. The channel has gone a little to the south, and there is a depth of ten to eleven feet at high water springs, and a good eight feet at high water neaps, which is very good for this time of the year. The river channel has changed since my last report, and is very bad at the Fishermen’s, Robinson’s and Duncan’s bends, and vessels have very little chance ol coming up the river if the neap tides are very low.