THE PORT OF FOXTON.

Shannon News, 3 November 1922, Page 3

THE PORT OF FOXTON.

QUESTION OF IMPROVEMENT

At Monday night’s meeting of the Levin Chamber of Commerce the Palmerston. Chamber of Commerce wrote asking whether the local Chamber would be willing to share the expenses of the movement to improve the Foxton harbour facilities.

Mr Rimmer, who is a member of the Foxton Harbour Board, and also attended the conference in Palmerston, said he could not help feeling that

the Palmerston people did not realise the importance of the port of Foxton to themselves. Nor did he think the Manawatu had much to hope for from the proposed campaign to purchase a steamer. He was opposed to taking shares in such a company. It would have to be run as a business venture, and would trade from the Bluff to Patea round the coast. The ship would not be under the control of the dis-

trict. sufficiently, and would naturally trade with the ports that showed the best return. Tile South Canterbury Company had since approached the people interested with a proposal to use their two boats in the Oamaru, Timaru, Lyttelton, Wellington, Foxton, Wanganui trade. These boats, the Breeze and Storm, drew nine feet of water, but there was only 8$ feet on the bar at neap tides. At spring tides they could get info the Foxton River mouth. Mr Rimmer said there

was a good trade in grain for milling and poultry from South Canterbury ports to Foxton. He made a comparison showing iihat, taking into consideration handling, wharfage and railway freight, goods that cost 20/ per ton to carry to Wellington from the South could be brought to Foxton for 22/6. To the Wellington freight had to be added wharfage, cartage to rail, sorting, railway freight to Levin, and cartage from local .station to store, making a total of £2 5/7. The charges at Foxton were only 3/6, and

allowing 10/ per ton for haulage to Levin, it appeared that goods could be landed in the store at Levin at £1 16/. The Canterbury Shipping Company was prepared to put motor waggons on the road to deliver the goods to any part of the Manawatu if desired. Mr Rimmer considered the j development of the wharf was in the best interests of the* whole district.

But he pointed out that the harbour would have to be improved and they must get over the difficulty of the Railway Department, having the power to prevent access to the wharf, through their property having to be crossed to! get to the stores. There were endless possibilities also in regard to the proposal to make a cut in the Manawatu River and take it straight out to sea instead of going round a. loop as at present. Nothing tangible could be done, however, unless the merchants interested took the matter up. Mr P. Prouse said the complaint of the shipping companies was that they did not get enough cargo to and from Foxton.

Mr Rimmer said a trade could be built up if the harbour was improved.

Mr Prouse said there were also complaints about the way cargo was handled at Foxton.

Mr Rimmer said the port blamed the railways for much of that. Mr Keedwell said! shipping circles in Wellington did not think much of the prospects of establishing u very extensive trade.

Mr Prouse spoke of the use likely to be made of the port by scows. Such cargo as timber and poles would have to be shipped to Wellington or provision made for towage at Foxton, there being none at present. Different classes of vessels had been derived for use in bar harbours. One of these, the Kairaki, was constructed of shallow draught, but foundered with all hands. The Americans believed in strengthening the hulls of vessels for this purpose by extra timbers. After further brief discussion the meeting authorised the expenditure of an amount up to £2 2/ in the preliminary expenses incurred in connection with the matter, it being agreed that every effort should be made to develop the port. The Levin Chamber of Commerce ascertained from local merchants the probable quantity of'goods required for distribution in Levin per month. Ten firms gave this information, but poultry-farmers, builders and private importers of benzine were not approached. The enquiry revealed that 126 tons of merchandise could be accounted for, the principal items being kerosene and benzine 11-3 tons, sugar 8 tons, flour 22 tons, pollard 16 tons and wheat 223 tons. When other requirements are 1 taken into consideration it is probable that Levin's quota of goods would be well over 300 tons a month. Similar information has been compiled in every other town in the district served by the port of Foxton.