PORT OF FOXTON

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 128, 4 May 1925, Page 6

PORT OF FOXTON

ADDRESS BW MR GOLDINGHAM. ENGINEER’S OPINION WANTED. “The importance of the Port of Foxton to Palmerston North and district,” was the subject dealt with in an interesting and comprehensive fashion by Mr F. S. Goldingham in an address at -the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce luncheon this afternoon. Mr H. L. Young, president of the Chamber, presided over a large attendance. “I have been connected with this district for the last 26 years," said Mr Goldingham, adding that he might therefore bo able to tell something- of interest about the subject of hie address. The importance of the port of Foxton lay in the comparative cheapness of water freights. If the port was developed they could work up a connection with the South Island and especially a return .exchange of goods from this district, for at present they did not have a proper return service, though there was, of course, a shipping connection with the South Island. WHAT WE COULD SAVE. ‘‘On a conservative basis I estimate the saving at the present time by shipping through the port at an average of 15s per ton,” he said, “und, taking the average amount handled os 1000 tons per month, it means a saving of £2OOO per annum. Tho back freight of hemp, wool, hides and tallow cannot result in a lesser saving than £2OOO per annum. There is still a great loss of business through lack of boats which, if available, would save at least another £IO,OOO per annum. The saving through the Foxton service and the motor lorry competition in benzine carriage results ill not less than a gain of £6OOO to the. district, but thousands of cases of benzine urc being carted from overseas vessels to Foxton instead of being tuken there by the water.” Mr Goldinghoin added that Palmerston North could not afford to lose these economies or to fail to greatly increase them as could be done if the port were developed. “If the shipping channel were made to take ships of ten feet draught at all tides,” he stated, the ‘mosquito’ fleet would be looking for trade, and the coal freights, for instance, would be resuscitated. Then probably the Railway Department and Foxton and Palmerston North Borough Councils would got their coal through Foxton port. I have a photograph showing eight steamers in -the port of Fox--on 18 years ago.” Proceeding, he said that the coal trade through Foxton had suffered from the time when certain vessels could only use the port at very high tides —about twice a month. Many of the old services would be resuscitated, though, if there was a ten foot waterway • all tho time. Secondary industries would crop up as they had done at Wanganui, t.he population of Palmerston North would go ahead and the capital value of tho district would be enhanced.

PALMERSTON’S SLOW PROGRESS. “The growth of Palmerston North has been extraordinarily slow —sure, admittedly—but- slow compared with its resources,” lie said. “The town should have a population of 25,000 or 30,000. Once we were easily the fifth town in New Zealand but we are temporarily surpassed. There must be a big city between Auckland and Wellington and that should bo Palmerston North, but it won’t bo unless W 0 have a workable port.” The Foxton Harbour Board, he said, had been approached but the answer apr peared to bo “in the sweet bye and bye.” Ho thought that expert advico on the best- means of developing the port should be secured. They must bo prepared to think ’in terms not of thousands but of tens of thousands, for money expended wisely on tho port would bo amply repaid. The Foxtqn Harbour Board, compared with other boards, did not have resources such as tho Wanganui Board possessed through endowments. He did not know, then, how the Foxton Board would secure its money except through a loan, but the speaker would aid a subscription movement to secure expert advice. The railways were a political system calculated to help the farmers rather than secondary industries and, probably, that Was a good thing, too. It was necessary, though, to buy in tho cheapest market afld he asked that the matter of securing an eminent engineer’s opinion on tho possibilities of the port of Foxton bo seriously considered. Replying to questions Mr Goldinghant said that the bar did shift, but that could bo fixed by training walls. The. question of whether the port should not bo nearer to the heads was one for an engineer. Tho Foxton Harbour Board was now committed and this month was taking over the wharf from the Railway Department. In moving a voto of thanks, tho chairman said it was essential that Palmerston North should have a port and it was strange that they should have to go back 18 years to witness tho spectacle of eight ships at tho port-. About 18 years ago the tonange through tho port was 88,000 per annum and it had fallen to 12,000. Tho Chamber of Commerce agreed with Mr Goldingham and would do its best to have the Harbour Board secure an engineer’s opinion on the question of tho development of the port. A voto of thanks to Mr Goldingham was carried by acclamation.