FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2022, 30 August 1919, Page 3

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

A meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board was held at Palmerston North on Thursday afternoon. Present : Messrs P. J. Hennessy (chairman), W. E. Barber, W. Bock, T. J. Clapham, E. B. R. Holben, And D. W. Matheson. An apology for. absence was received from Mr J. A. Nash, M.P. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT. “Re Wharf. —The purchase of wharf has been completed so far as paying over the £5,000 to the Railways. The amount due to the Board has not yet been received, but vouchers have been sent to the Audit Department and are expected to be passed shortly. Arrangements liave been made with the Railway Department to handle all inward cargo; and with Messrs Levin and Co., Ltd., for all outward cargo, pending the erection of the Board’s shed, particulars of which, and suggestions, will be submitted to you. The taking-over dates as from the 18th inst. Re Dredge.—So far the only hope of temporary relief seems to be by hiring a dredge to deal with the shoalings in tho river. The next nearest is a suitable one to be built.l The quote for the one selected and delivered from Home is about £32,000. The hiring may be the best proposition for the time being. Re Goods Shed. —Plans have been drawn for this, and proposals will be submitted as to the site, and an offer made by the liquidator of the West Coast S.S. Co. for the site leased upon which coal bins are erected. Re Pilot. —Captain J. H. Miller has been acting pilot for a month, and has passed his examination as required by the Marine Department. It is proposed to appoint him to the position. Captain Miller’s report of the river, etc., will be submitted. Re Charges.—lt is proposed, with your Sanction, to revise the pilotage and river lighting charges. At present the charges for pilotage are threepence per ton register, which covers in and out, and for river lighting 10s per vessel if only the lower lights are required, and” 20s if all lights. There are 11 beacon lights at the entrance and lower reaches, and 10 at the upper reaches, or 21 in all if lights are required. The charges are quite inadequate to cover the cost under now conditions. Re Round Bush. — At a round-table conference on the 19th inst. it was decided that the Government be approached for an endowment in lieu of that portion of the property required for a scenicreserve, and the Board is asked to appoint a delegate. Arrangements should be made for leasing. The new Company’s s.s. ‘Kennedy’ made bar lirst trip this week, and it is hoped that regular trips can be made, and with other, boats also running the trade to the port will gradually work up to, and beyond, the trade prior to the war. Re Sections—Five sections have been leased —three on the waterfront at £3 5s Od, one at the Sanatorium at £l, and one of the middle sections at £l.” • PILOT’S REPORT.

“I have, since the beginning of the present month (August) made several trips up and down the river from the heads to the Eox ton wharf, and find the channel to he in very good order with approximate depths at I.w.s.t. in the straight reaches ranging from Oft. film to 7 ft. bins., and on the bends a much greater depth ranging from 10ft. upwards, I.w.s.t. There is a great shoaling experienced on the Fisherman s Flat, between the jetty and the Rush Flat, there being only 4ft. depth I.w.s.t. for a distance of about 200 yards. I have not as yet had an opportunity of sounding the bar, but a good straight bar has been experienced. The s.s. ‘Blenheim’ has made two trips to and from the port during last spring tides, with a draught of Bft. As there is not a plan of the harbour or river, I would suggest I bat I be allowed to dra w up one, giving three tines of soundings in

the river channel, and linos of beacons, and also five linos of soundings for approaches to the bar, and that copies of the same be printed in the Nautical Almanac for the coming year, so that ship-masters may have an idea as to the nature of the port. 1 have renewed three leading beacons in the river, and repaired the remainder, but consider the whole need to be painted, ns they are at present not very easy to be observed. The Harbour Board’s launch is at present quite suited for the river work, but too weak for work on the bar, and in (be event of a new launch being procurable at present launch being unprocurable at present it will be necessary for one to be hired, so that the bar can be sounded at the beginning of each spring tide. I am placing the launch on the skids as soon as the tides: are suitable, and will thoroughly examine the hull for the present leakage, as I feel sure it will be quite easy to repair the same. The engine needs to be thoroughly overhauled and cleaned, and the benzine tank tested.” ' DREDGE. The "Westport, Harbour Board wrote stating that the suction dredger Ruhi Seddon is not for sale, and that with respect to hiring, the dredge is at present working at Westport, in place of the dredger “Eileen Ward,” which is awajting repairs, material for which is now on the road from the United Kingdom, apd consequently it will be some few months before she would be available for hire. —Received. ROUND BUSH.

A letter was read from the Poxton Borough Council advising that at the recent conference of representatives of the local bodies interested to consider the question of the acquisition of the Round Bush, it

was decided that a deputation consisting of representatives of all the local bodies' in tbs Foxton Harbour District should wait upon the Minister for Lands, requesting that the Harbour Board be granted an endowment in lieu of the restrictions placed on the Round Bush by the Government. The Board was asked to appoint a representative to act on the deputation.—The Chairman was appointed to represent the Board. PILOTAGE PEES. The Chairman brought up the question of the advisability of increasing the pilotage fees. At the present time the charges were lid per ton inwards and outwards, and / he suggested that the charge be increased to 3d pen.ton each way. At Wanganui the fee was twopence each way, at New Plymouth lid each way, at Wellington fourpence in and threepence out, and at Hokitika threepence in and lid out. — After some discussion it was decided to refer (lie question to the focal Committee, with power to act. BEACH IMPROVEMENTS. The Beach Improvement Committee reported having planted a large consignment of pine trees at the beginning of the month. To insure

the trees getting a good hold, each tree was “balled.” This cost more than the ordinary way of putting up in bundles, but the Committee considered the extra expense was wise. The trees planted the first year that were “balled” are doing tine, making good progress. The trees planted last year were not “balled,” and taken as a whole a good percentage are living, and should show some progress this year. It was noticed that where the sand hills are more settled —the farthest from the sea — very few trees have died, hut on the newer hills sand drift has buried a fair-number. Notice boards with “Trees planted here —no. fires allowed,” are well displayed throughout the planted area. The Committee consider lighting Jires where the trees are planted a real danger, and should be slopped if possible. Already some trees have been burnt, and some have been wilfully pulled up. In conclusion the Committee stated that they would endeavour to watch over the Board’s interest in these matters, and hoped the trees -would be a good asset to the Beach in the near future, Messrs A. Dawick and Bert Prattj members of the Committee, wailed ou the Board with a. request that some assisance be granted towards the cost of fencing at the Heads so as to prevent the trees being destroyed, staling that the Beach Improvement Committee hud recently built a hall, and had not sufficient money to pay for all the fencing work. —It was decided to make a grant of £lO towards the cost of doing the necessary fencing. GOODS SHED. The plans submitted by Mr S. Jickcll' for a goods shed were accepted, aful it was decided that when they are approved hy the Marine Department tenders be invited for the work, with the right to accept a lender for one or two seel ions or for the whole work. GEN E.KAL The liquidator of the Meat Coast Trading Co. offered to sell to 1 lit! Board for £SOO its wharf and buildings at Fox ton. —The oiler was accepted, provided all the buildings are included. A letter was received from A. Bajccr, complaining of; sand blowing on lo Ins sect ion, but it was decided to reply that the Board regretted it could take no aclion in regard to the matter. The local committee was authorised to make arrangements for leasing the Bound Bush reserve. The arrangements made hy the local Committee for the handling of cargo and collecting charges until the Board’s shed is erected was approved. _ ' ■ Captain J. H. Miller was appointed to the position of pilot.