FOXTON WHARVES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 48, 26 January 1926, Page 6

FOXTON WHARVES

NEED FOR MOVING. NEARER TO HEADS. HARBOUR BOARD DISCUSSION. That in order to ensure the success of the port of Foxton in view of modern competition in many directions, and the decline of the coastal trade, it is necessary to move tiles'" wharves nearer the Manawatu Heads was the consensus of opinion expressed at the meeting of tho Foxton Harbour Board yesterday. A discussion on the subject of the location of, the wharves v/a* promoted when Mr R. McMurray, in accordance with a notice of motion given by him, moved that some small rate be struck by the board over the area under its jurisdiction. He stated that ho would not specify the amount; it was merely his object to strike such a rate as would not bo hard on anyone, but which would servo to make people take more interest in the port. The port of Foxton, he stated, wus of vital importance to the district, but shipping through it had greatly declined. Tho Government had acted liberally in the matter of grants, but had pointed out that the board had its own avenues of raising money. He was aware that Mr Hennessy, tho original chairman of the board, had promised that no further rate would be struck, as it was deemed that the port would pay for itself after the earlier loan was sanctioned, but he had not foreseen the decline in trade. At the time Mr Hennessy had acted rightly, although ho had exceeded his ani.bority. \ Mr Nash: It was the action of tho board; don’t blame Mr Hennessy. FUTURE TRADE. The motion was seconded pro forma by. Mr Chrystall, who expressed his opposition to the projjosal, stating that a definite undertaking had been given that no further rate would be levied. At any rato, he thought, before anything was done in the .natter ot further expenditure the board should have a guarantee of the future trade of the port. All knew how tho “mosquito licet” about the coasts had declined, and lve cited experts who said that to make a success of the port training walls to fix the locaion of the river mouth were essential, and that these might cost many thousands of pounds. No one more than he desired to see the port progress, but he could not advocate the striking of a Ate unless business was assured. He to the system of bringing petrol to New Zealand and transporting it in bulk on the railways, saying that this would further detract from the trade of the port, while the Highways Board was assisting motor transport by providing better roads. As the only original member of the board, Mr J. A. Nash stated that he knew the position about the alleged promise to levy no further rate. Ho stated how the Government had had to take over the port, and detailed the efforts of the board to regain it through tho medium of a commission. A loan was sanctioned for £16,000 (for the acquirement of the wharves £6OOO, for a dredge £IO,OOO, and for additional buildings £1000). When tho loan was placed before the ratepayers they were given to understand that there would bo no rate for interest charges and no further rate, for the port would pay for itself, such was tho volume of business at the time, but there was no absoluto undertaking to that effect.

To strike a small rate amounting to, say, Is on a £IUO property, said Mr Nash, would be inadvisable. Individual sums would bo so small as to be 10markably difficult of collection. •SOMETHING LARGER, TO FACE.’ “We have something much larger than that to face,” he declared, "ive will have to consider the removal of the wharves to Rush Elat, where there is always deep water.” The wharf buildings, ho said, could be removed, and a scheme on tlioso lines would afford something tangible to place before the people. Were tlie wharves by Rush Elat, said Mr Nash, the board would not have to consider dredging the whole length of the river from the mouth to the town. Virtually the level of the bar would bo the only great consideration. “That is going to come and the position has to bo faced,” ho said. “If we are going to make a success of the port wo must have the wharves where there is deep water right out to Ibo bar.” A member: And run the railwaydown to them.

Mr Nash replied that in any case the department was considering running a light line down to the heads for passenger traffic alone. To move the wharves would not be detrimental to Edxton, through which the business would still pass and the whole district would beneht. NEED FOR VISION. “It is a largo question. It has to be faced, and it calls i'or vision,” ho declared. “We must get away from the petty business of years past.” Mr McMurray’s motion, no thought, was “only playing with -die thing,” and he could not support it. Mr E. R. B. Holben observed that the board could not secure any guarantee as to future business through the port.

The chairman (Mr J. Linklater, M.l\): We must have faith. Mr Holben alluded to the need for a better service through the port to encourago business, and the necessity for a goods receiving depot at Wellington.

When told that there was a depot there, he said that the shipping people were evidently not making the best use of it. He favoured thp idea of removing the wharves to* Rush Flat, where during the past 30 years there had always been 13 or 14 feet of water. It had to come some day, he declared. There a safe anchorage could be secured at comparatively little cost with permanent deep water. Mr Chrystall: The bar is your limiting factor. Mr Holben replied that the majority of the stoppages to shipping had been caused higher up the river, where the channel filled in again as soon as it was deepened. Mr Mortcnsen said that the discussion had “broken the ice.” He uid not think that striking a rate, however, would do much good. So far as Levin was concerned the port at piesent was not a great deal of use to it, and it was desired that Shannon Borough and Horowhenua County should come within the board’s rating area as well as Levin Borough. Mr Nash: That would need another commission.

Thero was to be a bulk storage site for petrol consignments at Levin, continued Mr Mortenson. That would be a further blow to the trade of the port, which would go back unless some enterprise such as removing the wharves nearer the Heads was ein-

barked upon. In that event smaller vessels could continue to go right up to the town, while 500 or 600-ton ships could land their cargoes at Rush Flat. “WRITING ON THE WALL.” as petrol freights are concerned the writing is on the wall,” observed Mr Barber. Long ago, said the chairman, he had realised that Rush Flat was the best location for the wharves, and if they wero moved there Foxton could have as good a port as Wanganui, and when the railway ran right to the Heads thousands of people would journey there. He felt obliged, however, to oppose Mr McMurray’s motion. Mr McMurray withdrew the motion and the discussion then lapsed.