FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3898, 24 January 1929, Page 3

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. STRANDING OF KENNEDY. The monthly meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board was held at Palmerston North on Monday, there being present: Messrs J. Linklater, M.P. (chairman), H. Berry, A. J. Kellow, W. E. Barber, J. Chrystall, and A. Mortensen.

The chairman suggested that possibly the board should take some steps to enquire into the cause of the recent stranding of the s.s. Kennedy. Members were of the opinion that there was no need to incur the cost of a formal marine inquiry, but that something should be done to ascertain the cause of . the mishap. Mr. Berry moved that the harbourmaster and captain of the Kennedy be each asked for a comprehensive report upon the facts leading up to the stranding, and that in addition the\ harbourmaster toe asked to furnish suggestions for lessening the chance of such mishaps in future. The motion was seconded toy the chairman and carried. ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BOARDS.

Mr. lOhrystall suggested that the hoard support a remit to the Harbours’ Association that the Government afford financial assistance to small harbour boards by subsidising coastal vessels to trade to' their ports. Mr. Kellow : You will have every old boat in New Zealand going to Foxton and praying for bad weather, <so that they cannot get out and will get the subsidy for being delayed. Mr. Chrystall admitted that there would be difficulties but pointed out that increased shipping would greatly increase the hoard’s revenue.

The secretary pointed out that the board bad considered the remit at a previous meeting and the discussion then closed. LIFE-SAVING CLUB.

In receiving a report on the activities of the Beach Improvement Committee, the chairman, Mr. J. Linklater, M.P., said that the hoard was indebted to the society for the very valuable work that they performed' from year to year, and he thought that the hoard should place on record its appreciation of the society’s worlk. In seconding the motion, Mr. Barber suggested that one thing that the society might well take up was life saving. A distressing fatality had occurred at the beach on Sunday, and the loss of life annually from drowning in New Zealand was serious. He suggested that if a horse be kept handy with a man able to use it this might prove very valuable. The chairman: Would you keep the horse there all the time? Mr. Barber: On Sundays, holidays and other occasions when there are numbers of peo/ple bathing. The chairman explained that the board had several warning notices erected and also a life line. This was so'me way back from the beach at low tide as it was necessary to keep it above high water. The reel was kept in the bathing shed. Mr. Barber mooted a life-saving club, but the chairman pointed out that bathers were largely from other towns and it might be difficult to get suffi|ciient permanent residents for a club. The chairman suggested that the reel be removed each day from the bathing shed, about 200 yards from the water, and kept nearer the place where bathers actually entered the water. This would have a run of 200 yards and back! should the reel be wanted urgently. The reel could be replaced at night for safe custody. The motion was seconded by Mr. Kellow and carried. It was also decided to erect notices warning bathers against swimming directly after meals and entering the water at ebb tides. GENERAL. The chairman and Mr. Berry were appointed to represent the board at the conference of local bodies to be held on January 24 to consider the scheme of flood control for the Manawatu and Oroua Rivers. The offers of Messrs G. E. Johnson and Robert for grazing rights were accepted.