FOXTON BEACH ROAD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 102, 31 March 1936, Page 6

FOXTON BEACH ROAD

COUNCIL’S SEALING OFFER. ACCEPTED BY HARBOUR BOARD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) .FOXTON, March 31. At yesterday's meeting, of the Foxton Harbour Board a letter was read from t ie Manawatu County Council enclosing the following copy of a resolution passed at its last meeting:—“That the Foxton Borough Council and the Harbour Board be approached to ascertain if they arc prepared to contribute to the cost of surfacing the Foxton Beach Road by findiug annually the difference between the present cost to the council of maintenance of the road and the annual sum requited to pay interest and sinking fund and other charges required (approximately ion per annum) if a loan is raised to find the council’s share of the cost of the work. Mr J. A. Nash Faid that the offer, it accepted, meant that the Borough Council and the Harbour Board would have to find £25 per annum each. He had read the report, of the County Council meeting and ho desired to congratulate Mr W. E. Barber, on behalf of the board and rcsidents at the beach, on t.hc arguments advanced by him in favour of the sealing of the highway. The Harbour Board would receive its £25 back without any troublo if a good road was constructed, as more people would erect houses at the resort and the beach would become even more popular than it was to-day. The proposal was a good one, and ho moved that the offer be accepted. The chairman (Mr J. Linklater) endorsed Mr Nash’s remarks and said ho considered the money would be well invested. He seconded the motion. Mr \V. E. Barber said that (hero was still the Foxton Borough Council to consider. It had io give its decision before the offer could be accepted by the County Council.

Mr P. W. Goldsmith said that ho was opposed to the offer. “It is not a right thing that this board should spend money on making roads,” lie said. The chairman: But it will be of special benefit to the beach. Mr Goldsmith: We are here to look after the interests of the Harbour Board and wc should consider the position of the board first. Wo only recently went to tho local bodies and raised £IOOO to purchase a launch because we did not have sufficient money available to purchase it. 'lhe very last tiling a harbour ■ board should spend money on is the upkeep of a road. To some small extent this road will undoubtedly benefit the board in the long run, but we have no right to speculate money on such things while the finances are not sufficient to allow us to run the board oil proper lines. Mr Nash said that tho Beach Road was not a new proposition with tho board and ho thought Mr Goldsmith had rather missed tho point. If tho .board was asked to pay such a sum for a road outside its province ho would agree with Mr Goldsmith, hut it had to be remembered that To Wharangi provided a large proportion of tho Harbour Board’s revenue. In fact without it the board would not bo able to carry oil. It was relying on beach rents, and if a tar-sealed road was constructed tho beard would bo able to sell ton dr more sections; in fact, he considered fifty a conservative figure. These sales would more than cover the cost involved and show a good return on the money invested.

The chairman said that the board was concerned in tho construction of the original read and by accepting tho Manawatu C-ounty Council’s offer it was only finishing the job. Mr-IT. Osborne drew attention to the revenue derived from the beach as shown in tho financial statement. Rents in the current statement wore shown at £179 18s Bd, plus £52 9s 2d, grazing £l, and camp site fees £43 12s. He supported the motion. Mr Barber said that the County Council had received deputations and letters of various sorts on the state of the Beach Road and, speaking as chairman of the Manawatu County Council, he said that there was not a hope cf tho ratepayers sanctioning a-loan for improving the road. Ho had been specially requested by Hon. R. Semple when in Foxton to see what ho could do to have the road sealed, lie had considered tho matter and hi 3 proposition was before the board that day. It was the best he could do, and as a member of the board he thought that it was a great opportunity and ono that they should seize with both hands. 'J’hc motion was carried with Mr Goldsmith voting against it.