Feilding Star, Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1916. NEEDS WATCHING.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 2856, 29 January 1916, Page 2

Feilding Star, Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1916. NEEDS WATCHING.

Whilst we are in entire sympathy with the Foxton folks in their desire tj control their own wharf and reap ali the.benefits the district gives for the making of an efficient harbour, we *must confess that we do not like the triangular way the Government has gone about getting a settlement of the question. The issue was simple: settle a longstanding greed of the Railway Department for the profits of a wharf.. A little arbitration should give the-wharf, over to the proper authority — the. Foxton Harbour Board. Instead of going at the problem straightly, the Government has arranged a Royal Commission with an order big enough to; keep it going for a year': (1) tho wharf question, (2) the deviation Of the railway line from Levin to Marton, and (3) the extension of the Sandon tramway to Greatford. The. Marton Advocate says tho project "is one that concerns the whole AVest Coast from, say, Halcombe to the North Cape; it might oven favour freights and fares as far south as Feilding." Fancy that, now! And the Foxton Herald, looking for trouble (if not scenting it afar off) "warns the district to be alive to Palmerston's opposition and to scotch it. Not only must the immediate districts arouse themselves, but every town between Auckland and AVellington should be circularised and their sympathy and support obtained/ AYe are not taking the triangular duel seriously. The three shots with which tbe Commission is loaded will no doubt do the work expected of them —kill the three issues. It is an extravagant Commission, anyway, whilst the war is on. At tbe same time, Feilding must watch developments with an intelligent interest and with a vigilance that will not take even a Royal Commission's verdict for granted.