FOXTON HARBOUR.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 2763, 3 October 1923, Page 9

FOXTON HARBOUR.

MEETING OF THE BOARD. A special meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board was held on Monday, when, there were present: Messrs J. Linklater, M.P. (chairman), Rimmer, Signal, Barber, and Holben, MAINTENANCE OP BEACH ROAD. The committee presented a report on the state of the Beach road, and recommended that the Board grant the Manawatu County Council £SO towards maintenance charges, Mr Holben said ho was in doubt as to whether the Board had the power to make such a grant. Ho considered that the rates collected from the area in question did not compensate for spending such a sum of money. He agreed, however, that the road was certainly used as an arterial road, people from all parts of the district making use of it. Mr Barber said that although the Board derived proportionately less from the Beach road area than any other, it must be admitted that the road was extensively used by them all. Mr Holben declared himself to be quite in favour of the grant being made provided it was in order. Mr Signal: It is only a suggestion. Mr Barber said it was a peculiar thing that money could be expended by the Harbour Board on the formation of new roads not in its area, yet money could not be expended on the maintenance of such roads. It was, however, in the interests of the Board to make the local road better, as it would help to popularise the beach resort, Mr Signal agreed with this, and said that Paraparaumu and other resorts had good metal roads x-ight to the beach. Mr Holben moved that members confer with the Board’s solicitor to see if a grant can Ido made to the Manawatu County Council towards the up-keep of the Beach road from the borough boundary. This was carried. REMOVAL OP BEACH WOOD. The residents of the beach presented a petition in relation to drift wood on the beach, reading as follows: —“We, the undersigned leasehold residents, of the Foxton beach, humbly pray that your Board will re-consider their decision to prohibit us from collecting drift wood on the beach up to as far as the lifo.saving shed. This embargo is a very serious matter for us as the greater port of the wood comes in on to the flagpole side of the shed. Beyond, little or nothing is of any use for fuel purposes. We shall feci grateful to the Board if they will alter this regulation and allow us to collect wood from, say, 20 chains to tho north of the flag station and in front* of the cottages on the river foreshore.” Tho chairman said that though he personally had no objections to the removal of drift wood in front of the cottages on the foreshore, if they interfered with the drift wood at the mouth of the river, it would mean that the planting that had been done there, lately would be destroyed. Disturbance. of drift wood would also allow sand to blow into the river. Mr Signal considered the Board might be overstepping the mark by granting any right to 'collect drift wood on any part of the beach. The Marine Department regulations did not grant Oris privilege. Mr Holben said a great* deal of damage was done to the beach at the port by the carting of firewood, and he considered that they should prohibit this altogether at the port. Mr'Holben said that there are at present 130 houses at the beach, and he did not sec how all the occupiers of these houses could get wood without any damage to the beach. If the Board did not stop tho practice now they would have to later. He considered it was quite right for the board to grant permission for wood to be collected on the river foreshore in front of the houses and north of the bathing shed. The wood at the port was not to be touched He moved that permis sion be granted to residents to collect wood on the river front to within -.0 chains of the pilot station, and on the ocean beach north of the bathing shed . Tliis was carried unanimously* GENERAL. * The pilot was authorised to procure whatever labour "is necessary to assist in removing the pilot staff at the part, under the supervision of Mr Signal. Tho offer of Mr Holben of a fourfoot galvanised iron diver for a signal light was accepted, and the matter was left in the hands of Mr Signal. Mr F. Needham wrote, asking the Board for a section for building. It was decided to reply to Mr Needham that bis request was under consideration, and that the Board’s decision would be forthcoming as soon as certain matters had been settled in connection with the sections referred to. The pilot reported the bar has changed to the north considerably, but there is a good channel; H.W.S T. lift 3in;, H.W.N.T., Bft. The shallowest part of the river is lift at H.W.S.T,