ROADING AT FOXTON BEACH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4525, 1 November 1930, Page 2

ROADING AT FOXTON BEACH.

DISCUSSED BY ICIIfA AIiBBR OF COMMERCE.

AI Thursday evening’s meeting of the Foxton Chandler of Commerce, the president (Mr. J. K. H'omblow) referred to the recent, uiisuecessful attempt by the Foxton Tfaiihoar Board to persuade the Manawatu County Council to raise a loan for putting down a road giving safe access to the beach through the sanatorium!. It did not appear as if there was much chance of Fox ton beach getting * any assistance from the Manawatu County Council, while Tangimoana was in existence despite the fact I hat the two beaches could not be compared. A good road and safe access to the Foxton beach was essential to its welfare and the Harbour Board would have to give liitheft" and serious consideration to the matter. There was a point which could not be overlooked and that was that Ibeaeh sectionholders were paving a road rate annually and he believed that this rate was in excess of what they actually should pay. The position was that .when the original loan wiis raised far the beach road there were a limited number of sec-tion-holders at the beach and these were levied 12/(1 per section to provide interest, and sinking fund on the loan. As time went on however, more sections were sold by the !.arbour Hoard and each leasee was levied 1.2/0 instead/of the 12/0 being reduced in proportion with the sale of sections. The Hoard therefore musl have collected a consult cable sum by now in excess of what it was actually entitled to in this connection.

Air. Al. E. Perrcnu (member of the Board) said Tiat when the original loan was taken up there were only a. very few residents at the beach and consequently section holders had not been able to meetinterest and sinking fund on the loan. As a matter of fact they were only just, paying this amount now.

.Mr. A. Alsop (Manawatu Heads) said that beach residents did not object to paying a little provided they got something for their money. As it was they were without safe access to the beach and they badly wanted a road through the sanatorium. The Harbour Board was collecting between £()<)(( and £7OO per annum in rent from the Beaeli while section holders must have overpaid the reading loan by a considerable sum. The Manawatu County Council, while refusing to assist the Board by way of raising the loan, had spent a. considerable sum in valuing beach sections for the purpose of luting. After one of his sections had been valued at £(i() lie had asked a member of the Harbour Board what he considered it was worth and he had said lie would give him £5 for it. He had lived eight years at the beach and during that time he did not think the Boned had spent any more than £309 there while it had collected aboiit £3020 in rent. The approach to the beach at present, was in a most dangerous state. The Board h;td asked the Manawatu County Council to raise a loan of £750 to give safe access to the ibeaeh, but that body had turned the request down. Beach residents were now paying 12/'(> per section reading rate but they would gladly pay .15/- to get a good road through the sanatorium which would he open at all times. Mr. Uerrcati suggested that the Chamber ask the Harbour Board tor a statement of the receipts and expenditure in regard to the original loan. It would be gladly given and the Chamber would then have definite to go on. Mr. Alsop considered that the beach was entitled to good road access for the amount paid to the Harbour Board independent of the reading rate. Mr. Alsop referred to the work being- carried out to •popularise the Levin beach. A good metal road was being constructed giving access out to the beach and if it could be done in Bovin surely some assistance should he forthcoming in connection with the local beach.

Mr. R. N. Spoil's said that the Government, was assisting with the work: at Levin.

Mr. D. R. Barron said that apart from Tangimoana being the pet of the Manawatu County Council it had also received assistance from the Government. Why was it that Foxton beach should be refused assistance s They had recently reel nested that a grant of £IOOO be placed on the estimates for roading work at Manawatu Heads, but had not {received one penny.

The president said that the land at Tangimoana belonged to the Crown while lie understood that at Kevin the road had been formed by a. private resident through whose property it went. Had Manawatu Heads not been transferred from the Marine Department to the Fyxlon Harbour Board as an endowment then possibly some assistance in roading matters would have been forthcoming from the Government.

Mr. Barron considered Foxton beach the worst served seaside resort as far as roads were concerned in the Dominion.

!Mr. Peirreau asked that the Chamber advance some helpful criticism on the matter. The Board realised the position only too well and would appreciate any helpful suggestions. •The president said the Chamber appreciated all that the Board had done and was doing for the beach. The Chamber was interested however in any move to popularise the resort.

Mr. Barron suggested that the Board at least give some safe tem-

porary access to the bearli before Christinas.

It was decided to wi'ite to the Board expressing regret that its loan proposal submitted to the Manawafu County Council had been turned, down and respeltfully urging that some further steps be taken to halve safe access provided via the sanatorium and that in the meantime the old access be made safe to eater for the holiday traffic.