THE PORT AND HARBOUR RATING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3910, 23 February 1929, Page 2

THE PORT AND HARBOUR RATING.

DISCUSSED BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

DEPUTATION TO WAIT ON HARBOUR BOARD.

The port of Foxton and Harbour rating came in for a good deal of discussion at the monthly (meeting of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce, held on Thursday evening. The matter was brought up by the Mayor (Mr. M. E. Perreau) who is keenly interested in the welfare of the town and the progress of the port. He outlined the existing state of affairs as far as the Harbour Board was concerned and said there was a possibility that unless some drastic action was taken, that the port would ibe closed to shipping. This position was more or less brought about by the removal from the Foxton service of the s.s. Kennedy. The Board was very loath to take such a serious step as that of closing' the port and unless some improved state of affairs was brought about it would seriously have to consider the striking of a rate to carry on. Under the present condition this would be a very serious matter for Foxton but that was a subject which he was not at the .moment, prepared to discuss. He thought that if the Board were compelled to take this action it would see to it that Foxton was not penalised unfairly. What he would like to see done was the organising of a deputation representative of local business men and citizens to wait on the Harbour Board at its next meeting, on Monday, to show them that Ibe people of Foxton were deeply concerned in the welfare of the local port, and that they were opposed to any proposal to dispense with the services of the pilot or the closing of the port. They should let the Harbour Board know that they had the backing of the citizens of Foxton in any scheme for the improvement of the port. A similar position to that which has now arisen occurred when the s.s. Queen of the South was wrecked some years ago. A proposal was then under consideration to close the port but it was thwarted and Foxton had benefited as a result. The Chamber of Comimerce had got very busy then and they should do so again now. There was a great deal of trade to be picked up between South Island and Foxton and paying trade at that. No stone should be left unturned in an endeavour to procure another boat for the Foxton Tun. Mr. F. C. Raikes endorsed Mr. Perreau’s remarks and seconded his proposal that a deputation wait on the Harbour Borad at its next (meeting. The Lyttelton trade was of vital importance to the poultry industry, said Mr. Raikes. Since the s.s. Kennedy had ceased running to Foxton, poultry farmers and others had been compelled to procure their supplies of grain through The port of Wanganui and this had meant an enormous increase in freights to them. Unfortunately there were some people in business who would rather see the port closed owing to the fact that competition would be greatly reduced thereby while any increase in freights that would accrue as a result of closing the port they could pass on to others, by adding it on to their ,margin of profit. Unfortunately the poultry farmer was. not so situated and was an industry to be crippled for the sake of one or two business firms who could pass the .added cost on to the other man. The President (Mr. J. IE Hornblow) said that it was to- be hoped that the necessary legislation would soon be forthcoming which would l)e passed to enable Harbour Boards to purchase vessels. After further discussion it was decided that the following deputation wait on the Harbour Board on Monday and to place the opinion of the citizens of Foxton before the Board: — Messrs F. C. Raikes, D .Christie, G. F. Smith, J. Aitchison, H. E. Gafibett, J. K. Ilornblow, C. M. liewett, and M. E. Perreau, the deputation to have power to add.