FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2640, 2 October 1923, Page 2

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of the above was held in tlie Board’s offioe yesterday. Present : Messrs .J. Linklater M.P. (ehnirman), Signal, W. E. Barber, E. R. B. Ilolben, and Runnier 1 , and the secretary (Mr R. Rangiheuea). Apologies for absenee were reeeived from Messrs J. A. Nash, M.P., and J. Chrvstall. BEACH ROAD. A report of the loeal eommittee was read recommending the granting of £SO to the Manawatn County Conned towards the maintenanee of I lie beach road.

Mr E. R. B. Holben questioned whether the Board had the power to make such a grant. He considered that rates collected from the area than any other part of therid>afe the spending of such a sum of money. He agreed, however, that I lie road was certainly used more as an arterial road, people from all parts of the district making use of

Mr W. E. Barber said that it was quite true that they got proportionately less rales from the beach road area hau any other part of the riding, hut it must not he overlooked that flu> road was used hv all.

Mr Ilolben said that he was quite in favour of tin l grant being made, provided it was in order. Mr Signal pointed out that the matter was only a suggestion from the local commit lee.

Mr Burlier said that it was a peculiar thing that money could he expended by the Harbour Board on the formation of new roads not in its area yet money could not be expended on the maintenance of such roads. The chairman said that while the Board wanted to do the right thing they min t be careful not to exceed their legal limits. Mr Barber said that it was in the interests of the Board to make the bench road better as it would help to popularise the beach resort. , Mr Signal agreed with this and said that Paraparamnu and other resorts had good metal roads right to the beach.

Mr Ilolben then moved that they confer with the Board’s solicitor to see if a grant can be made to the Manawatn County Council towards the upkeep of the bench road from I lie borough boundary. This was carried unanimously.

Thanks. —In reciprocating the Board’s good wishes, the Hon. Mr Newman paid a tribute to Mr Nash M.P., for his sympathy, ready support and excellent services in connection with the Manawatn river Improvement scheme which cannot hr too highly appreciated. —Received. Shed Accommodation at Wellington. —The Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce assured the Board of ils willingness to co-operate with sanw in an endeavour to get sorting ehnrges reduced. —Received. Y.dl Line: —The llorowhenua El-ectric-power Board is proposing lo erect a J 1,000 volt line across the Manawatn River at the confluence of the Tokoinaru Stream and the Public Works Department proposes to put a limit of 23 feet as the height above high water mark at which this line should cross. The Board’s consideration of the limit referred to was earnestly solicited by the Marine Department.—Agreed to. Conferring .Fee : —ln reply' to the Board's inquiry as to the approximate cost of the conference, the engineer advised that his fee would he £(> (>/- for visiting the site in company with Messrs Furkert and Hay and for preparing a report of the said conference. —Received. Breastwork. —The Railway District Engineer is again drawing the attention of the Board to certain necessary repairs to the breastwork at the warf. —Received. Aldebaran. —Advice from the Marine Department has come to hand that the French Government is contemplating a cruise for the sloop “Aidelniran” in the Pacific. The Department was anxious to see that the usual facilities rendered by the Boaril during the visit of the vessel to New Zealand. —Received. Afforestation. —Mr 11. A. Goudie, Government Conservator of forests, made an inspection of the sand dunes and* drift area at the mouth of the Manawatn River last Tuesday, September 13th, and was aeeompnied by Mr F. C. Hay, engineer |.o the Manawatn Oroua River Board, and Mr Eiuklater, M.P., chairman of the Ei.xtuii Harbour Board. The object of the visit was to investigate the best method of the fixation of sand ('rifts and the afforestation of a large waste area, also to prevent the shoaling of the navigable channel from drifting sand. It was proposed lo traverse the river by launch from the wharf to the Heads but owing to a machinery breakdown Oil the harbour hoard launch, the party motored to the Heads and crossed the river in a boat. The party traversed the' sand dunes on the south side and the sand dune wastes were pointed out also the positions of the two proposed cuts. From an elevaled position the proposed course of the river was pointed out and the sand drift indicated. Mr Goudie obtained, data in connection with the prevailng winds. He said if the port was to be protected for shipping and the navigable channel kept within fixed limits, immediate action was necessary to prevent the sand from deflecting the course. It would be necessary to treat the north side of the river which was causing trouble, in deflecting the current. There was no reason why tjie drift could uot be successfully dealt with. The large area to the south could be utilised for afforestation purposes. He said before submitting a report be would make

a further examination of the connin'.

Harbours’ Act, 1923-In order to bring the Act into line with modern practice in respect to published accounts, the Marine Department wrote suggesting that the published accounts should include. (1) Ba In nee-sheet; (2) Income and expenditure account; (3) receipts and payments accounts; (4) loan accounts; (5) interest fund accounts; (f 5) Sinking fund accounts; (7) any other accounts of special importance. The statute should provide that the accounts are to be kept in sneh form as may be prescribed by the Audit Department. Finance: —If is further considered that loan moneys as raised should he paid into a speeial loan account at the Bank and not into the Harbour Fund Account as now provided for in section 52. —Received.

Cost of Fleet ion:—The Audit Office has drawn the Department’s attention to difficulties and disputes which arise under section 33 of the Consolidation Act, 1923, regarding “rhe reasonable additional cost.” It is proposed by way of solution that a Harbour Board’s proportion of costs of any election (including the expenses of making and printing or typing rolls) shall he based on the ratio which the members of the Harbour Board hear towards members of the local authority or an-’ thurifies participating in that election. This, of course, where the elections are held simultaneously. Even when no! simultaneous the 101 l trouble will he disposed of because by this process the Harbour Board will have acquired and paid for a share in rolls for the election not held simultaneously. Lights, Buoys and Sea-marks: —In sections 197/200 it is proposed to add provision for “local authority” as well as Board because it may happen a locaj authority may desire to erect a light, etc., where there is no Harbour Board.—-Received.

Petition: —A petition signed by the residents of the local bench was read as follows: —“We, the undersigned leasehold residents at ihe Eoxlon Beach, humbly pray that your Board will re-ennsider their decision to prohibit ns from collecting drift -wood on the Beach up to* ns far as the life saving shed. This embargo is a very serious matter for us ns the greater part of the wood comes in on the flagpole side of the shed.” Beyond, little or nothing is of any use for fuel purposes. We shall feel grateful to the Board if they will alter this regulation and allow us to collect \\«>..d from, say. 20 chains lo Ihe north of (fie Hag station and in front of the collages on flic river fYire--horc.”

The chairman said that if ihey interfered with the d';‘t-wood at the north of the river it would mean that the p'anling that li.gs licet: lone there lately would he destroyed. I) i-! in bane s of diiftws.d would also allow sand lo blow into the river. Personally he had an nhfi ction le the people taking drift-wood from in front e.f the cottages on -the foresfiore hut he would object to ii being taken from higher up round the point. The. river was in a very good position now and they wanted to keep if so. Mr Signal Void that it would he quite all right for people to remove drift-wood sav a quarter of a mile from the point on the ocean beach, li was also quite all right to take sticks away from the beach near the point but the logs must certainly slay. These logs prevented the sand from blowing into the river. However, he considered the Board might he overstepping the mark by granting any right to collect drift-wood on any part of the bench'. The Marine Department’s regulations do not grant this privilege.

Mr Holben considered a great deal of damage was done to the beach at the point by carting of firewood and ho considered they should prohibit this altogether at the point.

The chairman said that they did not want to permit anything that was going to interfere with the planting. Mr Holben said that there meat present 130 houses at the bench and lie did not see how all the occupiers of these houses could gel wood without doing damage to the beach. If the Board did not stop the practice now they would have lo later. Tit- considered it was quite all right for the Board to grant permission lor wood to he collected or. the river foreshore in front of' the houses and north of the bathingshed. The wood at the point was not to lx- touched.

Mr ITolhen then moved that permission he granted to residents to collect wood on the river front to within 20 chains of Ihe pilot station and on the ocean beach north of the bathing shed. —Carried unanimously. It was decided on the motion "I Mr Ilolben, to offer for sale all remaining sections at the beach; Messrs Mounsey and Co., Ltd. .he instructed to sell same within one month from date. If was decided that the pilot be authorised to procure whatever labour necessary to assist in removing the pilot staff at the point, under the supervision of Mr Signal. Mr Holben offered the Board a four-post galvanised iron tower for signal light, 25 to 35 feet high, free of cost, Board to pay for removal of same. Mr Holben was thanked for his offer and it was decided that Mr Signal inspect same with power to act. A letter was read from Mr Needham, of Palmers ton North, asking the Board for a section on the point for building purposes. —Decided to reply to Mr Needham that his reciuest was under consideration and

that the Board’s decision would be forthcoming as' soon as certain matters had been settled in connection with the sections referred to. Pilot’s Report: —The bar has changed to the north considerably but there is a good channel: lI.W. S.T. lift. 3ins.; H.W.N.T. Bft. £299 shallowest part in the river is at H.W.S.T. The. chairman said that the river and bar are now in a much better condition than they have been for a number of years back. The river itself is in excellent condition.