FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2266, 21 April 1921, Page 3

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING. - The annual meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board was held' at Foxton yesterday. Present: Messrs J. Linklater (chairman), W. E. Barber, AY. Bock, J. A. Nash, E. B. R. Holben, and D. W. Alatheson. An apology for absence was received from Mr Clapham. TREASURER’S REPORT. The Treasurer’s report, as follows, was read and adopted: — ‘‘The financial year closed with a credit balance of £1,491 12s 3d. There is still a balance of £B,OOO to collect on account of loan. There has not been any shipping since early in January. All rents, etc., to 81st .December, 1020, were collected excepting £1 10s Od, which latter has since been paid. The following amounts have been received since last meeting, and placed to credit: —Pilotage £3 15s, river lighting £2 ss, wharfage inwards £lO3 8s 7d, wharfage outwards £5 8s Id, ships dues £3 12s 8d (less standing commission £sl 13s Id), rents £154 18s Gd, road interest £l9 Jjs 6d, miscellaneous 12s; a total of £241 14s 3d. The expenditure has been: — General account £196 15s lOd, loan account £520 19s 7d.” BALANCE-SHEET. The balance-sheet for (he year ended December 31st last was submitted and adopted. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT. The Chairman reported as follows on the past year’s work: — “The Board regrets the loss of its late chairman, Air P. J. Hennessy, and has placed on record his valuable services in the interest of the Board and district.

“In reviewing the transactions and general working of the Board for the past year, the credit at Bank of New Zealand shows a slight decrease, the credit being £1,491 12s 3d, as against £1.896 9s Gd at the end of 1919. The interest and sinking fund, £371 5s 4d, is still being paid out of revenue. Of the loan of £16,000, £B,OOO has Been received, the balance being extended to December next. £9.83 (is Id is due to general account, which, added to Bank balance, shows the general account in credit £2,474 18s -Id for dredging purposes and payment, of interest and sinking fund. The cost of the dredge to 31st December last was £2,664. It is estimated the total cost ready for working will be, say, £3,400. A trial run has been made, and proved absolutely satisfactory. If is only awaiting the completion of the rooling-in of the machinery and the permission of the Marine Department to start dredging. Credit is certainly due to Mr Jiekell, the designer of the pontoon, to Mr Madden and staff for the building of the pontoon, and to Mr Aikiuan, the Board’s engineer, Tor the installation of machinery. The Goods shed has cost £948 5s 4d, made up of the purchase of shed

and wharf £SOO, and alterations to shed £448 5s 4d. The shed is now ready for occupation. The total assets are shown at £10,788 9s lOd I a ken at nei cost. Unfortunately there has (for some reason or other) been no shipping since January hist, and the loss of pilotage and wharfage upon which the Board relies for dredging and payment of interest and sinking fund, has to ho faced to avoid collecting I lie special rate. The Pilot reports the state of the bar and river monthly, which always appears favourable for the class of boats hitherto trading to the port, and ranging from least water on the bar at high springs 10ft. 9in., high water neaps 9ft. lin, low water neaps 6ft. 7in., and the river generally good, except near Fraser’s boat shed, which spot has

always been a trouble, but with dredging at this point (where it is proposed to start) this should be overcome. There is a big future for the port with ordinary shipping managed on business lines, and -for this the Board looks with confidence to the mercantile and general public. “The first readjustment of rentals of the Board’s leases has been made, showing an increase of £4O 7s (id per annum. Other increases will he made where necessary as the first term of II years expires. A sum of £750 for river improvements was passed last session. Arrangements have been made by which this should shortly be paid,

and fur which the thanks of the dis- ' lriel are due to the member for the district, Mr Ed. Newman, “Summed up, the successful future of the Board depends upon (1) ‘•Unity of purpose,’’ and (2) “Ships and more ships," and it is fair to expect that the efforts now being made in connection with “ships,” together with the work of the Board for the advancement of the district, will be crowned with success. “I thank the members of the Board for the loyal support given me during my term of office, and the keen interest they have always taken in the work. Especially do I thank Mr Bock for his efforts on the Board’s behalf. A word of praise is due to the pilot, Mr Larsen, who has put the plant at his disposal in first-class order, and who is particularly attentive to his duties; and ■ to the Beach Committee through the chairman {Mr A. Da wick), for improvements, tree planting, etc. The work of this Committee has been much appreciated by those who visit the beach. “Again I thank you, gentlemen, and hope that at our next- annual meeting the Foxton port will be as busy as it should be, and that it r will prove of great benefit to the district it serves.” In speaking to the Chairman's report, Mr Nash said there was no

doubt the time had arrived when something had to be done-to improve the trade to the port. Without shipping the Board might as well cease to exist. But such a thing was not likely to happen, and there were excellent prospects of a shipping company being formed to pror cure vessels to trade to the port, and this company would be controlled by business m6n in the district, who were keenly interested in the development of the port. Mr Nash paid a tribute to the good work of the Chairman during the past year, and said the Board was very fortunate in having a man like Mr Linklater in that position. He also referred to the very excellent services rendered the Board by Mr Bock, who he was glad to know had been re-elected. It would have been a very serious matter had Mr Bock’s services been lost to the Board, as in the past he had been the “live wire,” und was deserving of the best thanks of the people of Foxton and district.

Mr Holben said the Board had had an uphill fight, but he considered there was a good future before the port. PROPOSED NURSERY.

The following letter was read from the Forestry Department in reply to the Boards’ offer of a site for a nursery:—

“The Department of Agriculture has referred to this Department your letter of the sth instant, proposing that a nursery should be established at the Manawatu Heads, on land which your Board would make available. In connection with this, I have the honour to inform you that the interest taken by the Board in this matter is much appreciated by this service, and the offer will be borne in mind and the site inspected when our tree-plant-ing officer makes his approaching visit to the West Coast sand dunes. The Officer will be instructed to call at your office when in Foxton." RAILWAY COAL.

At a recent meeting the question of getting railway coal through the port was discussed, and it was decided to ask the Department if arrangements could not be made to get a portion of the railway coal through Foxton. The following reply was received from the General .Manager of Railways :

“With reference to your letter of the sth instant, in regard to the question of landing railway coal for the Manawatu and other districts at Foxton, I have the honour to inform you that the quantity of coal from the Wot Coast mines allocated to the Railway Department for use on the North Island main line and branches at the present time is very "limited, and it is therefore necessary for the Department to go abroad for its supplies, which arc shipped in vessels which cannot enter the Port of Foxton. In the eirumstanees I regret that I am not in a position to assist your Board while existing conditions prevail. Should, however, the position in regard to coal supplies change in the near future, and suitable shipping space can he secured, 1 will he pleased to give the representations of vour Board full consideration." PILOT’S REPORT. The Pilot reported under dale March 31st as follows: — “During this month the channel on the bar has changed to the north, and the bar beacons have to lie worked on the south side of the river. When the bar was sounded to-day by the steam launch Madai, at one hour before high-water neap ride, the least water was found to tie 6ft, there being a light easterly breeze, and it. was a very poor tide. The river is keeping good. The launch is on the skids, but 1 consider it is beyond repair.”