FOXTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5160, 5 October 1877, Page 2

FOXTON.

TO TH2 EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALANK TIMES. Sir, —Perhaps it would not be amiss to bring before the public mind and the powers that be a few particulars about this place. Although this rapidly advancing and prosperous couuty of Manawatu has the honor and glory of sporting a newspaper of its own, still I foar it is not sufficiently read by your Wellington public, and members of Parliament in particular, or they would have learned from it the urgent necessity there ia for them to use their power and influence to rectify some at least of the many disadvantages under which we groan, for want of a fair and reasonable expenditure of public money. First, and not least, is the want of proper wharf accommodation. Masters, owners, and agents of vessels continually complain of the aunoyauce and loss to which they are subjected in consequence. To-day affords a fair specimen of this evil. Three steamers—the Clyde, Jane Douglas, Tui—and a sailing ve sel, are all in the vicinity of the wharf. Only one can discharge at a time, while the others (with what amount of good humor I cannot say) await their turn. Several days are frittered away. Up country people, such as residents of Palmerstou, Feilding, and other townships, very naturally complain of the delay of their goods. I trust the Government will see fit to vote a sufficient sum to remedy this evil. The Harbor Board has proved a failure, there bc-iug no funds at their disposal for harbor purpose.-;, or indeed worse than no funds. The Government would kindly hand over te the Board the pilot service, &c, at a cost of about £6OO a year, while the income to the Board from reserves, &c, would amount to about jCSO a year. Consequently the Board very properly refused to have anything to do with it.

We learn that the resident engineer here has received instructions from tho Government to send them a report as to the cost of certain necessary alterations in the wharf and railway iu this township, such as cost of land through which the line would pass, soundings of the river, extension of wharf, &e. This is a step iu the right direction, and not too soon either, seeing that a petition on this matter was sent them on June, 1875, and another on July 31, 1877, backed up by the leading gentlemen of Wellington, and handed in by a deputation. We hope Foxton people will have their wishes .satisfied at last, as expressed in their petition. With this, Foxton should be declared a port of entry with as little delay as possible, and then we could fairly compete with other piices.—l am, &c, IT. Loodos.