PORT OF FOXTON.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 141, 14 May 1930, Page 7

PORT OF FOXTON.

LEVY OBJECTED TO. “I think it is just a question whether the port ought to be closed and that we pull out,” declared Cr. J. Boyce at yesterday’s meeting of lire Manawatu County Council when a letter was received, from the lox toil Harbour Board, the county to collect its share (£265) of the levy made by the board on the local bodies in the board’s district. The chairman (Cr. W. E. Barber) said there was no chance of the council getting out of making its payments. 'The trouble with the port at present was that it had lost a lot of its old boats which had been constructed for Foxton and now trouble was being met with that previously was unknown. In the early days the speaker had seen as many as six or seven boats in the port at once. However, there was no doubt- that the port was still making a great saving in freight charges to tho district as the board’s figures would show, and more benefit would be obtained if the board had two scows similar to the one it had at present. The scow which was running now was doing well and Cr Barber believed that another boat of the same type would do equally well. The boat came in a few days ago with 200 tons of cement and this represented a considerable saving in freight. The council also had to remember that the board had incurred expense through loans, and if the port were closed the speaker doubted whether the endowment it had would produce enough to pay the interest and sinking fund on the loans. Cr J. H. Perrett: The board can hardly expect us to go on paying these charges. I think we should get out Boyce: When the Harbour Board’s district was formed the assurance was given by the then chairman that no rates would be collected, and it was on those grounds that we consented to come into the area. The trend of events in those days agreed with the promise made, but now we are at a different period and I think we ought to get out. . , , The chairman; It is the only port between Wanganui and Wellington and there is no reason why it should not pay with this large district behind it. Cr Boyce: Does the Manawatu County Council get any benefit from the port? It seems to me that the Railway Department gets all that s B °The county clerk (Mr A. K. Drew) replied that the council made a considerable saving in the material it got through the port. Cr. Perrett: The port cannot compete with the lorries to-day. The matter was finally held over till ji6xt meeting, when the chairman will lay further information concerning the port revenue before the council.