FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1301, 2 December 1911, Page 6

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

BADLY TREATED BY RAILWAY DEPARTMENT. (By Tdferaph.—Special Oorrespondntl Foxton, December 1. The helpless state of the Foxton Harbour Board, in being unable to .sufficiently dredge its own port through (ho Government Railway Department appropriating its whari'ugo duos, has been evidenced 111 a striking' maimer during tho past ten days by a succession of shipping casualties which have aroused much advereo comment in tho town. On November 24 the Moa stuck on tho south spit, fulvago gear was sent out, and she was pulled, off and returned to port. IVo days later tho Gertie stuck 011 tho south spit, and this vessel had a trying time, and she lost eight of her propeller blades, and her rudder was temporarily bumped from its socket, but happily went back again into its proper place;'for a time, however, she was absolutely helpless, and she lay in th« stream for Hires days, and was then towe.d oft' bv (h« Queen of tho South, but, on approachine 1 the bend near UlO wharf, .1 particularly bad place, which requires dredging ba<f]y, both vessel* went ashore, unci wwq only got off after lightering the cargo. Tho Kennedy stuck oil Duncan's l!eud also 011 Nove-mber 24, aud after lightering SO tons of coal was got off next dav. Theso disasters were followed 011 Tnc> day, November 23, by the stranding at 11 Wlth ® '>cad of cattle, also on the south Spit, and with her hatches open ana her cattle, cargo tho const*quonces would have been serious had slio remained on the bank, but she escaped by what a resident forme "a miraculouschance.' Those nocidonts have cost aloiio fullv .£l4O for salvage operations, and tho Railway Department is blamed for tho trouble.

lho wharfaee dues at Foxton return a net profit to tho Department estimated at itlftOO per annum, and other harbour boards are allowed to collect their own wharfago dues, but this right is denied tho local board, and the attempt made oomo timo oro to secure this privilego is well remembered in the brutally savage rejoinder of the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways, that before ho would move the Foxton Harbour Hoard oould go bung. Through the efforts of Mi;, n. Nomnan, M.P., a sum of .C 250 was placed on the Estimates, but apparently this amount of money had followed tho example of the unfortunate vessel* enumerated by sticking hard nnd fast on tho legendary' list, the hope and despaii of many an electorate throughout tho oountry.