THE FOXTON HARBOUR BILL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10114, 23 October 1917, Page 5

THE FOXTON HARBOUR BILL.

PASSES ALL ITS STAGES. PRESERVING THE ROUND BUSH. (Fbom Ouh Parmamintaby Rkpobtkh.) WELLINGTON Oct. 22. In the House this (-veiling Mr Field (Otaki) moved the second reading of Iho Foxton Harbour Board Amendment Bill. He said the Mill would settle a long-standiag difference. The Foxton harbour served a large district and the wharf ought to be vested in the Foxton Harbour Board instead of the Railway Department. The present Bill would consummate the efforts of many men. and the river would now receive due attention. A dredge would be provided and the channel would be kept open; the port would be nble then to servo a very valuable purpose. Mr Massey said he had been urged to provide for the preservation of a piece ol native bush valued by the local people, a, <1 had consented to the inclusion' of a ok use in the Hill,.but fche'claus'e hid not 1 . I lailc its appearance. - 'Mr'Newman (Rangjtikei) said he was very glad ■indeed' that the' port cf Foxton'was at last, to be given its opportunity of ley-jlpp-uient. II had been'hampered tor years by the 'jealousy of Wellington and Wang uiui, but if the local people consented now to. the proposed loan the port;would go ahead rapidly.' Ittought to ship\gbods from as farmland as Tftihape, He hoped- that when the time, came to duplicate the'Mairi Trunk lino the rails Would be taken from Levin through Foxton, which would .then become, a very important 'port indeed. He suggested that Foxton should be"provided with endowments. • ■■ Mr Vciteh (Wanganui) said heoould assure the House that the Wanganui'Harbour Board had no jealousy, towards Foxton.' The utmost cordiality now existed, whatever had ■been the position in the pact. Mr Field:'in reply, -said he- -acreed -ss to the desirability of preserving the Round Bush, the last'piece of virgin forest in that neighbourhood. The necessary clause would be inserted in another place. He thought, that the Foxton Harbour Board, which owned the bush, should receive adequate payment if it parted with its jwrtion of its endowment. The Bill was read a second time, and put through committee and passed, a clause providing lor the preservation of the. Round Hush being added.