FOXTON WHARF COMMISSION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1555, 25 May 1916, Page 3

FOXTON WHARF COMMISSION.

I ON''Ll SION DE EVIDENI T

THE PALMERSTON WITNESSES,

Tnylon Wlm rf Commission iwniimnced ils silling in 1 *» on on I n««i| :iv mill i .--i lllll l tin- taking <>l evidence, '.lobn Vming. manager of llm produce . 1 1 ' 11 ; i 11l of Iln.Mrr and Jolley. I-;-; i n*( K | uci •( i ;i I'Miirn sliowim;' tin* ‘pinnlil.s of 111 ■'r<-1 1 :i ndise "igbl I'.tlinnisloM linns would have lor sliipm.-nl d tin; I"’ 1 ' 1 wen; reliable. This comprised 6300 tons yl Class hi goods ami 520 tuns "I | hissl. 2 goods, and the savin-' in !’''a T Wy Ton as against Wanganui would bo ilo9J To Mi' Mm-i's: The n-t uni pul in covered tlm iin| „.i tT from < aiitni luii'y.. Otago Soul bland. Tim floods now come bei ~a,llv I bmngb Wellington and W nnirnnin. i„.ii,.i railed l.< m I h"i li I’hioys o 1 a Ini''i • on ' Tim .roods ini■ 11 11 11 11 1 "< 1 included 11 it a .-a.ii.is <.r wmu* -t I,U'l>„.||. 'Hi" Soul bland goods < .mm dn .'U from ibo 111,ill 1.. Wanganui. by (bo ( ..i lei burv Shipping ( • 'l n>‘■ " ll,l j . 1 “ tin boats on that rout". He did not iiiink tiny of 'ins" ii"'''' Fnvton. II" bad endeavoured lo twt ('anterburv Steamship < oniptmv to Mini tlmir ships b. Komou. buy Ii‘ u . l'in r' 'n t iVl'' river''' ‘ Ills "linn did not Long!,, by boa| to Wellington S.yyn >- live nor "i nl nl llm goods linpoi ti d b\ i. Urn. "oiim through \yanyn,n.il. ‘-d - ebarges to 27s 4d per P'n. .1 b" \\ ibar' r rs eovering t'im .-ame items amount p, 32- Id. It TonP*n improved its bi'iby. bv dredging. "t".. 1m would expect "(ini-ges tlmm would go up. Tim Cbainnan: II |b" .mpo. s w< ilonblod limiv would be no immssitv to ' 1 Wil'ni'Ss 1 sa'bi bn bad no Uj-owU-dK.; <> f llm charge of llm Ma,iaw ; :d«« .' {h ' ,l '~ N ‘ , pan.v- I'- of opinion • j J barbonr wit.- improved P • , ; ~nini -oods on!sida tboso spocili.'d ■" h b, , . ' j would im bmliKl.'d in bos" li.o tln oii-jb i'oxton, unless llm IT' l "'- ( partnmnl .vd.te.td it- charges m old. compete with ill" port. r i M. A. KJliott pul in " 1'],,., and romparative rat"S on wool._ . Uni.. 1 i;l bidrs for export from various si. n< • I'oxton and Wellington. it- l"'f f () |. lington direct. The statement "•* ]OW ' ,: “ Wool and Skins Via Toxtou Rad .lirect per bale P‘'f bale I'roia s. d. ' ' Palmerston Tv 5 1 K 9 Tedding 5 9 I I Marlon 6 3 J? .. llimlerville 69 ~ Taihape 7 4 / . Woodville 6 1 \ \ Dammvirke 6 6 ° . Pabiatua ' 62 ° The nnniber of bales for 1914-15 from Palmerston Norib was 10.447, I'm ding am' Marion 13.823, lluntervdie and 15.363, Woodvillo, Uanncvirke, and 1 a aatna 17,564. , Tallow and Pelts Hides via rail via rail Toxtou direct Ifoxton direct Troll. a. d. r. i(. »• d. s - ( '- Palmerston AT 25 6 33 4 31 0 38 1 Woodvdle ... 32 3 35 11 39 & 42 4 Teildiny ... 29 9 35 2 30 6 41 4 P.dnutna ... 36 8 37 2 36 7 44 0 The above rains arc calculated wjtli.mt taking info account tin* railagi* of 10 per cent, and the increased ''barrage in Wellington of 3d per bale oil wool and 4(1 pel- toll <m general cargo. _ r l altei alions increase the cost ot direct railage (o Wellington more than the cost via i'oxton. Wellington wharfage on wool, tallow, etc., via T’o.Mon for overseas shipment is paid

by shipping companies, luq, if for local sale in Wellington, then Wellington wharfage would have to bo ailuv-il to above via Eo.xlon rates. Wa-ness was of opinion that a

i ..- . . ; . ol woo. onld undoubtedly go through Eoxton it iln-v could get a better port there. ' The greater 11 mincit\ of the wool went- away by rail, ait hough some bales went from Eoxton. Tinwool was vaikd away to cinch a particular steamer, but if sent via Eoxton it wa-u,a-.crtain. The conditions at Eo.xion h-i, not improved, in Kiel, they were gelling

'l’o .Mr Myers: lie had held ofllce in joeai hollies. They wanted a [Kiri id Eoxton, bill he did not care whether it was established at the river month or at its present site. A port at the month of the river had certainly been talked about, in Palmerston, but, il had not been publicly discussed. He did not think tbe people of Palmerston district would be averse to being included in a harbour rating district. The Eoxton people had not asked that- Palmerston be incindeil in a rating area. Mr Weston slated (hat Palmerston would agree to be rated if the wharf came under Ihe control of the Darlmnr Board.

Erancis S/rachan Coldingdiam. general merchant, said that for classes A. B. ('. and D. goods it was .cheaper to import them through Eoxton than Wellington. Me could not guarantee a punctual service through Eoxton now, bid he could a lew years ago. The trouble was that, vessels got slink up In ih e river channel. He was not able now to get, direct shipments of flour to Wanganui. The last boat which brought direct shipments of Hour was now on another route. He preferred to get his goods from the South Island through Eoxton than by rail from Wanganui, to which port, the goods were taken. Sugar was brought fiom Wellington to Eoxton. but if the harbour was improved, the sugar could be brought from Dnelinnga direct to Eoxton, which Wonld be a big saving, about. 10s 6d per lon. To Mr Myers: During the last few years he had nor found il necessary to import more good.- by rail than bv ship. The importation of goods from Wellington bv rail had increased in recent years, but not in the same proportion as that carried bysea. When he got goods of Ihe A, B, C. and D, ela.-s hy rail it was because be could not gel (liem through Eoxton. Getting goods bv rail greatly increased the charge.-. To Mr Weston: Business had increased greatly during the last ten years, and would go on expanding. Thoma- R. Dodder, a memher of the firm of Dodder and 'lolley, and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, said that for many years past the matter of the harbour a I Eoxton had been bid'ore the Chamber on many occasions, and read the resolution passed at a recent mecling in support of Harbour Board taking control of (lie harbour. The local business people considered (hat die hai'bonr at Eoxton was the natural heritage of iRe We-I ('oast. Steps had heen taken several limes to impress on (he Government the advisability of handing over the harbour to the local Board, without success. The first imports, including the rails for the tramway from Eoxton to Pahnei si.on. came through Eoxton, also the (list engine, known as the “.Skunk-,'' was also shipped through this port. Then, again, all the fine totara, w hich abounded in tins di-trief, was cut and shipped through Eoxton to Wellington. Seeing- that the Government had secured sneh a large amount of freight, it was only fair and equitable now to hand if over to the local Board.

To Mr Myers : The general public benefit when goods are imported al a cheaper rate. Ernest 11. (Tahb, coal and general mcr ehanl. and a Borough GonnciMor. submitted a slatenieiii of the position of the coal trade as if all '-■civil Ihe port of Eoxton. The total amount ol New Zealand ("al bnnorteil into die di-lriH. and in-.-hnling Eeilding. Woodvil!e and Tokraimni. W" ; as follow s : -—St earn. 11,000 tons; gas coal, 7000 tons; household. 4000 Ions; total. 22.000 tons. Il was estimated (hat if the liarhonr had a 11 feel draught there wnnlil lie a saving of 2s per lon, or a tinal of £2OOO on the above importations. The 11 n; I r 1 111 y of Newcastle coil 1 imported was 2900 lons for ga,- pnrpo-i s and 1000 (on. of homehold and steam coal. On (his there would he a saving of 4s per lon, and the siiiing to the di’si'i-iet £BOO. niakinv a saving of £2BOO mi die [old ceal imper:,--. In Ihe opinion oi ihe cod nn ivhrnrs Ine pre--i n| hidi pi ice of i i.;d was d- i l inn iibal to ihe [i I .- - i f die lew u end di-tl'icl. Seven 1 hi." i;, " e 'id eojC'. . m we v about In ( mmcnee hire, one of whii h was the Ned n S Milk Company. 'Che (ilaeldidl ( 'ompany al present woidd import 5000 lons pei- annum if Imals wa re available. A few year- ago hi-, i ■ iltip.i MX had a railway eontract for the delivering at Eoxton of 5000 lons, of which the greater part wa- not delivered owing to the imals not being a'.all.dile. Al present (he harbour was slimmed by shipowners owing In its bad eonilition. If was worse now jhan was the ea'-e live years ago. and (Ids condition of affairs in Lis opinion was due to nothing In ing done lo Improve it. The West ( ‘oast Trading Company's wharf al Eoxton was provided with bins for the purpose oi i"eelving , and storing coal lo 'erve this district. Tile land on which it spud was railway property, which was leased to the company in 1907 at a rental f £25 a y ear. T!ie foreshore to (he rivn was Eased lo the lladiiiir lloaid. a condition in the lease being that wharfages were payable to the Board. The Department gave (he company a .-tiling, charging £l2O lor I'lin.-iruc lion and £26 pi r annum for tenl. When 11„. W harf bo win In be n-eil the ! lepart ■ ni.nl not llii d the company Ihaj il wonld codec 1 w hai-lagi -. I, was poinlid mil to them 1 i'al the 11 ai hour Board had already collected, led they refused to take goods mde-s the wharfage was paid to I hem. The wharfage was again paid under pro-le.-l, and coni imied to be so paid. 'lhe y| id a - r for Railways and General Alnnaweie inlinicwed but refn.-ed to grant -Hy redress. When tile company slated its [mention b> refuse payment and asked to |„. sued for such paymenl. the reply was ibal die Department would not carry any goods mile— all charges, including wliarfmre was paid. It refused to be a party lo an action for a ileclatory judgment in Due Supreme Court, and slated imv action would have to be taken through (lie usual channel- and would hi taken to the Privy Council if nice-ary. No company was not financially strong enough to light the matter so the- wharf was rendered unpayable. Eni-ther. a bank formed in the river just oil ,he wharf and consequently boats refused lo lie there, except jns t at high water, and ihe Department took no steps to remedy ;he matter except a grant of £2O to assist (he liarhonr Board (o try a spoon dredge. (■onsequendv Ihe wharf was rendered nseless for the purpose for which it was built. Mfreil Janus Hollow. Eoxton manager for Levin and Co., and who gave his evidence al Eoxton. was recalled and explained that in vear- gone by ships visiting Eoxton did not “ carrv large cargoes, lint called rcailarly. The Queen of the South would brnig 80 or 90 tons, per 1 rip. Now it was to bring in much smaller loads, .„ul to do most of the shipping on the spring lilies. Very little was done on neap tides. . To Mr Myers; The ships were not making more trips now than formerly. They were n-nally filled lo the full capacity allowed bv the draft of the river. The freight which is deli\ eri‘d to Eoxton people is higher than that on goods railed to conj.jirnecs outside Eoxton. The reason for tins was on account <J the very small i|iiaiilitv of goods consigned to Eoxton. The shipping freights were to Eoxton 12s 6d and Palmerston 9s per ton. Probably the competition. between Ihe shipping company and the rail wav had something to do with the fixing of these freights To Mr Williams: If proper facilities were olfering. two ship- could be regularly employed. William Park, bookseller, -aid he crossed the Eoxton bar 54 years ago. and he could sav that the bar and the river had gone back very much since then. Mr Park read a statement from a carrying company slating that if would forward his goods bv vail instead of hy boat through Eoxton. owing to the liarhonr difficulties. Air Park said it had been |hc wish of the business community of Palmerston for years past to bring about local control for the Eoxton harbour, - which was the heritage and the natural inlet and outlet, for these districts. Mr Weston announced that ho would not .call any further witnesses. This closed the Harbour Board Commission with the exception of official evidence of railway officials, which will be taken in AA'elljngton.