FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3532, 2 September 1926, Page 3

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING

The usual monthly meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board was held in the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board offices, Palmerston N., on Monday, presided over by the 'Chairman (Mr J. Linklater, M.P.) Also present were Messrs J. A. Nash, M.P., E. R. B. Holben, W. E. Barber, M. Mortensen, J. T. Clapham, R. McMurray J. C’hrystall and the secretary (Mr Roore Rangiheuea). BEACH LEASES. The leases of Bea'ch sectiins was again discussed. Recently a deputation of lessees of Foxton Beach sections waited on the Board with regard to various matters, and stressed the question of terms of the leases, the Board deciding to ascertain the legal aspect of the ease. A letter was subsequently received from the Board’s solicitors, advising that the Foxton Harbour Board Act, 1908, empowered the Board to lease any lands vested in it for any term not exceeding 33 years. In 1921 special legislation was prepared, and the Board was empowered to grant a renewal or extension of each of the building leases to the lessees, for a further term of 14 years from the expiration of the existing leases, or to grant any future building leases of allotments in Section 268, Block 1, Moutere Survey District, for a term of 33 years, with a right of renewal for a further term of 14 years, upon conditions as the Board should determine. If the Board wished to acquire further leasing powers it could be done by having section 9 of the “Foxton Harbour Board Act, 1908” repealed. This section empowered the Board to lease for any term not exceeding 33 years. The Chairman explained that it was apparent that the Board could extend the leases if it wished to do so. Mr Barber said that it was a matter for consideration whether it was the host thing to do to extend the leases or not. The Chairman said that the more attractive the leases were the better it would he for the beach. Mr Barber asked if there was a resolution on the minute hook to extend the leases. ' Mr Mortensen stated he did not think there was such a resolution. Personally, ho thought that the extension of 14 years would not meet the wishes of! all the lessees who wanted something more of a perpetual nature. What would he the position, he asked, at the end of the fourteen years. The Chairman pointed out that the Board could have Set-1i0n.9 repealed, and this would give the Board extra powers. He thought it better lo hold the matter over until the secreary ascertained whether I here was a resolution on the hooks authorising the extension. Mr Chrystall gave notice of motion to extend the lease for a further 14 years, subject to there being no previous resolution. Mr McMurray asked that copies of the letter he sent to the lessees, and the secretary was instructed to do so. FLAX REFUSE. The question of preventing flax refuse from mills being dumped m the river was again raised by a letter from the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, which forwarded the following report from its ranger: “Owing to the recent heavy floods, it is not. possible to definitely decide which mill had been responsible for depositing waste flax fibre in the river. I visited and inspected six mills in the vicinity of Foxton, hut as none was working, I could only warn them that a strict supervision would he kept on them in future. In two 'cases I suggested improvements that could be easily carried out within a week. I have still two mills to inspect, but neither will be working for a month to come, and it is useless to try to detect irregularities until they are doing so.” Mr Holben stated that he thought the mills did not actually place the refuse in the river; they placed it on the banks, and when the water rose it carried the waste away. It was decided to ask the ranger to warn the millers against placing the refuse on the banks.