PROPOSED FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9170, 13 June 1908, Page 5

PROPOSED FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

SIR, —I notice that the residents of Foxtou and others are taking steps to have a Harbour Board formed, but the way the revenue is to be obtained is not very clear, as the Minister of Railways objects to Jetting the proposed Board have the wharfage dues which are now received by the Railway Department. Any proposal to have rating powers over any area outside the Foxton Borough should be strongly opposed, as if money can be raised by rates, enormous sums might be spent in trying to improve the river and bar, which might be a total failure, and end in making it worse than at preseut. There has . .been too much mouey wasted in different parts of the colony in trying to make a first-class port of most little ooastal towns, often making them worse than they were before, and we should ,not load ourselves with similar burdens to Oamaru, New Plymouth and Napier, some of which Harbour Boards require as much revenue out of rates as their wharfages and dues bring in, and have levied as much as in the £ all over their districts. Three years ago the Harbour Boards of New Zealand bad borrowed over 4.% millions, of which Auckland, Wellington and Lyttelton had Jess than one quarter between them, and ;! expect there has been a' large increase since. As we are, sox near Wellington, and the bulk pf the produce of the district goes fail, It is better to have the MafiaWatu unimproved than to have Jo : pay more rates, which would Vi far more than any reduction,‘in freight would save them. If . port charges should be sufficient to pay all expenditure, without any rating power being asked for, the proposal for a Harbour Board will be well supported throughout the Mauawatu district.—lam, etc., VIGILANCE. ; Rongotea, June 11th. . ;v 'i