THE LOCAL PORT

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2178, 18 September 1920, Page 3

THE LOCAL PORT

Mr Andrew Buchanan writes as follows to the Palmerston Times: — “In connection with the proposals of the Eoxton Harbour Board as laid before the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce, it is necessary to consider the present lack of opportunities,'and advisable to hade well ahead and prepare for what we desire in the way of facilities at the best port for the Manawatu. The future of Palmerston North and the town’s prospective factories and industries depends largely on what practical use we can make of our port, and uniil a sanely thought-out plan is evoked, il will he wise to consider very carefully the most important thing first. The Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce is not the only body interns!ed. Is il not desirable to call a meeting of delegates from till public bodies, directly interested, to Hud what measure of support may be expected from the districts likely to benefit from improved shipping advantages at Eoxvon ' Will our public bodies select and (Inanee a competent man to enable him to visit oilier localities where the conditions are similar to those at Eoxton Meads, to report on the same and advise ns to the possibilities and -probable cost of a harbour at Eoxton, or mole ami port at the mouth of the Manawatu ! As regards shipping, had we not heller consider whether an empowering bill can be got through the House to authorise the Eoxton Harbour Board to borrow money and build or buy tugs or other vessels to suit the trade? The difference of sett freight in favour of Eoxton is said to be 3s per ton, and the advantage in wharfage Is as compared with Wanganui rales. The saving in railage is approximately as follows (these figures have not been checked, and are liable to lie corrected) : —Ehmr, 4s i)(l per ton; wheal, 5s 2d; sugar, 22s 8d; grain, (is Sd; coal. 7s fid; kerosene, 35s 2d; benzine, 58s Id; manure, (is Sd; salt, (is 8d: and hay per truck 35s 2d. Our wool, meat, tallow, butter and cheese are usually seal to Wellington, ami we lose on them hues through not being able to ship from Eoxlon direct to ports outside of New Zealand. The railage charges from Palmerston North to Eoxton and Wellington are approximately as follows, the Wellington figures appearing .in parenthesis: —Woo! per hale 2s 7d (8s Hid),meat pier lon 12c !)d (38s Td), tallow 17s Hid (53s 8d), butter His Sd (Jss), cheese (is 7Ad (L(is7d). Everyone is more or less tinaneially affected hy the 1 working of our port, and will he intcivstcd in the .above figures, also in any steps which may lie taken to solve and master the difficulties which the Eoxton Harbour Board has to face and is battling to