FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2724, 24 April 1924, Page 2

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD

SPECIA L MEETING. A special meeting 1 of the Foxton Harbour Board was held at Foxton yesterday afternoon to discuss matters in connection with shipping 1 to the port during the railway strike. While the port is controlled by the Harbour Board, cargoes are handled for sorting and storage purposes by the railway authorities. The handling of the goods after leaving the ship’s side is in the hand!? of railway servants now on strike. Application was made to the Minister for Railways to allow the Board to lake control in order to prevent a hold-up. Tn reply, the Minister for Railways gave consent provided the Board took all responsibility. Mr J. A. Nash, M.P.. outlined the correspondence with the Minister on the subject to (lie meeting which was attended by Messrs W. E. Barber, J. Ohrystall. TTolben. W. Signal and at a lathi - stage by the chairman, Mr J. kink later, M.P., who arrived from Wellington. Mr Nash said apart from the strike situation, the dual handling of the goods was not in the best interests of the Board or consignees. The Board could not, of course. deal with the goods at present in (lie railway goods shed, which he understood was fully occupied, but would attend to shipments as they came to hand. A meeting had been convened at Palmerston N. by the Chamber of Commerce and Borough Council to discuss transport arrangements. The question of shed accommodation was the first consideration and be suggested that I lie Board wait upon the stationmaster and the local agent of the N.Z. Shipping Co. Mr Signal said the railway goods sited was blocked with goods and arrangements should he made to get rid of the goqjls from the ship’s .side upon arrival. The members then proceeded to the station and discussed matters with the stationmaster (Mr H. Hornblow) who said the goods shed was filled with wheat, pollard, etc. for several consignees in different parts. The goods were not sorted but permission was given to consignees to take delivery. Members then visited the N.Z. Shipping Co.’s stores and interviewed the local agent with a view to obtaining floor space for storage. The agent promised 4 to’ confer with headquarters on this point.

A visit was then made to the Harbour Board shed and this was found t i bo n=ed as a coal dump. Members vito -atisped faht the shed would provide a fair amount of space and o was decided t<> have it cleared immediately for this purpose. The s.s. Kennedy was unloading at the wharf during the visit and rrrangem'-nfs were made with Messrs Levin and Co. to deal with the cargo, the Board to take full responsibility of future cargoes and to notify the Minister to this effect.

It was pointed out that the waterside workers would handle the cargoes .as previously, under the supervision of the Board and the Board secretary was appointed to deal with sorting and delivery previously carried out bv tlie railway authorities. The Board made other necessary arrangements in connection with facilitating shipping but decided not to take any action in connection with goods already in the goods sited.

It was ascertained that sufficien lorries would be available to trails port goods upon arrival.