Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1924. THE LOCAL PORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2706, 11 March 1924, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1924. THE LOCAL PORT.

OUR Palmerston North evening contemporary, in reviewing the result. of the deputation which recently waited upon the Minister of Railways at Wellington says: “While only one boat, the Kennedy, lias been running to Eoxton lately, the fact that only last week another has appeared on the scene, and yet another is being built for the Foxton trade, may surely be accepted as an indication that the shipping business via Foxtoii, is looking up, and if the Ralway Department wll lend its assistance to the port in the direction asked for, an increasingly brisk trade may be looked for, which should prove beneficial to both the port anthoriles and the Railway Department, in the latter case through the increased traffic which may he expected on the Poxton line, which at present is more of a liability than an asset to the general system. The Minister’s promise that if those concerned would make hard and fast contracts for coal deliveries, the department: would consider the advisability of obtaining supplies through Foxton, will not, we trust, be lost sight of, but the matter rests very much itt the hands of the department itself, and unless tenders are invited there is not much likelihood of the port, traffic being further developed.” In connection with the above, the General Manager made it quite clear that if coal boats could be induced to enter the port there would be no objection to getting coal through the local port. It is self-evident that the department would effect a considerable sum in haulage if coal came via t.he port, but Mr MeVillv pointed out that coal boats could not work the local port. This is the crux of the whole matter. We do not believe that the railway department desires to penalise the local port and in this connection much unfair criticism lias been hurled at the General Manager of Railways. Once make the port sale and navigable at all tides and shipping will follow and railway transit will be a natural corollary.