MANAWATU HEADS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 234, 31 August 1935, Page 9

MANAWATU HEADS

RAILWAY LINE PROPOSED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, Aug. 30. The drifting sand menace, its effect on tile river fairway, river cuts and rail cars wero all under discussion at the tnonlhly meeting of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce, held on Thursday evening, as a result of which it was decided to write to the Railway Department, pointing out the number of goon reasons for the building of a light railway line to the beach. It was considered that the port of l 1 oxton would always be troubled with holdups owing to the silting of the fairway between the wharf and the heads, and the only successful way to overcome this would he by the establishment of the wharf at the beach. This, however, would not be feasible until a light railway was laid down. The tree planting which is shortly to be carried out between the Manawatu and Rangitikei Rivers on a half-mile strip, fourteen miles long, was considered an argument in favour of the establishment, of the line which would, it was considered, he a payable proposition as a means of convoying passengers to and from the seaside resort by rail. In reply to previous correspondence from the chamber on this latter matter, the department advised that it was keeping the subject of instituting a rail car servire between Palmerston North and Foxton in view, adding that the services already decided upon were only of an experimental nature.

Tho danger threatening (lie eastern end of the seaside resort and tho port genernly was stressed by Mr A. Alsop. when lie outlined the erosion which had taken place at the Heads during the recent rough weather. “During tho past few years the Manawatu River has moved chains south.”

s- id Mr Alsop. “and a big log which was sunk high up on the south beach a year or so ago to act as an anchor to assist in tho refloating of a boat is now in the middle of the river. There is very little of the sandhills on the south spit left now, and once what remains goes the sea and river will enter on to low-lying land and form a huge lagoon. Tho erosion of the south spit lias also laid the eastern end of the resort open to the westerly winds and before long, unless something is done, there will be no houses left along this end of the beach.”

The president (Mr F. C. Raikes), who is a member of the Foxton Harbour Board, explained that endeavours wero being made to acquire ibe land on tho south side of the river for tree planting purposes to prevent any further erosion.