THE PORT OF ENTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 88, 4 July 1879, Page 2

THE PORT OF ENTRY.

It is a singular thing that though a Customs officer has been stationed at Foxton, and all preliminary arrangements made, no Gazette notice has yet appeared proclaiming Foxton a Port of Entry or Warehousing Port. Why is this ? Echo answers why. We confess ourselves perfectly

puzzled as to the reason. It is an enigma not only to us, but to every busines man in the place. The Col lector casually remarked in our hearing yesterday, that he had not so far received a line of official coniinunication fioui "Wellington since his arrival here j nothing in fact, but his appointment to the place. Over a week ago, a local firm sent in an application for a bonded store to be proclaimed, and it was thought that would have the effect of stirring the authorities, but so far the oracle is dumb, and no reply has been received. A great many "perhapses" present themselves to the mind, but the thing is so inexplicable that it is difficult to imagine a reason. We can ven^ ture on one or two Perhaps it has been forgotten, and perhaps the people of Foxton have "heen " sold " all tne way through, and Mr Seed is holding back the proclamation until a change of Ministry may oefiur, when Poxfon will be relegated to its former position. '1 his last guess is a hazardous one, but very few people know of the immense power wielded in New Zealand by the Civil ber. vants known as the "permanent heids of departments." A note to the Commissioner of Customs would probably bring about the publication of the proclamation. The meeting this morning re wharf charges might legitimately pass a resolution upon the subject,