Manawatu Daily Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1923. FOXTON PORT.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 2742, 7 September 1923, Page 4

Manawatu Daily Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1923. FOXTON PORT.

At the important conference) held j last Saturday, between the Manawntu- ! Oroua River Board and the Foxton Hrbour Board. Mr Hay, the engineer, I to the River Board, was asked which i proposed cut e favoured, and ho unhesitatingly replied, No. 1. This cut | will commence about three-quarters of a mile up the river from the wharf, go | through the swamp on the Foxton side :of the sand hills, thence through I Rush Flat and straight out to sea. j When asked whether this would not I cause the channel to the wharf to silt j up, Mr Hay said \\> was his personal opinion that it would not. No doubt a bar or sand-bank would farm in the I present channel, where the cut would come in up the river. In fact, the proposed work would help this t'o came about, which would probably mean that no silt would come down as low as the wharf, becauso the rush of water during flood time would be straight through the cut out to sea. Therefore the present channel to tho wharf would hardly bo affected. Thero might be a little silting up where this channel connects with the cut at the lower end, but this could easily be kept clear by occasional dredging. Mr Chrystall interjected that Mr Jickell had also said the same thing. Mr Hay also pointed out that if he was wrong in his conjecture, and the loop of the river round Foxton filled up, there would be a good site for a wharf about half a mile across from the present wharf, which would be as high as the present site, and there would bo ample site for buildings and future expansion, and at the same time would be on the river proper. Some of the delegates present considered . ■ wharf should be moved to the h. uus, but there are difficulties in the way. If there were high banks at Rush flat (the site advocated) there might bo something in the suggestion, but tho positioji is that this sil'e is covered at high tide for nearly three-quarters of a mile back from the river. This means that the approach and wharf would have to be sufficiently high to be above both high tide and high.fioad level, making its cost prohibitive. There is a further objection that no protection could be secured against a big flood, which is a very real danger in view of the statement made by Mr Hay that when the cuts are put through there will be six times the volume of water flowing through the lower reaches of tho river than is carried now. If this is so, huge protective works would be necessary, and it would be extremely difficult to forecast tho effect this would have on the course of the river. It is probable the rivor wo.uld be turned further south thus leaving the wharf high and dry. Another view-point is worth considering ahio. Water carriage is always considered the cheapest. In fact, a few miles to a steamer is neither here nor there. Given a good channel to the present wharf, or nearby, freight would be the safe as if landed at the Heads wharf, whereas the railway lino would have to be extended to a wharf at the Heads, and there would be that much extra railage or cartage by road. If there is any trouble with the Manawatu river, it is at the bar. Once a boat crosses the bar, the further she comes up the river the better it will b.>. for the district generally. No one will deny that the channel vo. tho present wharf, and even much further up the river, is much better than the channel over the bar. Not only that, but the river channel, by a little dredg ng now and then, can be more easily and more economically kept in order than the bar itself But if, as anticipated, the eflect of straightening tlic river by putting the cuts in, is going to deepen the bar, then the river will be deepened too. Another proposal was to bring the flood waters into the river above the town, but this did not find much support owing to the danger both to the wharf and the town. The Conference has had an excellent effect in throwing a flood of light on the proposals, and there can be little doubtthat the whole district promises to benciit very materially by the scheme.