FOXTON WATERWAY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2672, 5 May 1925, Page 5

FOXTON WATERWAY

And Its Importance To Palmerston North

EXPERT OPINION WOULD PAY. Mr. H. L. Young-, president, was in the chair at yesterday’s monthly luncheon *of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce. Mr. F. S. Goldingham gave an address on a subject of vita! interest to the trade development of Manawatu: ‘‘The Poit of Foxton and its importance to Palmerston North and the surrounding district.” Mr. Goldingham said he had come to the district 2G years ago and thought he might be able to present some points in connection with I* oxton not generally observed. The justification for any port was the cheapness of water-freight—in this case goods could be brought in and sent out cheaper via Foxton than by other methods of transport; The development of the port of Foxton would enable us to get South Island connections, and increase the savings, which Mr. Goldingham estimated at £9OOO per annum on the present trade at the port, a tonnage of 1000 tons monthly. On the outward journey, there was a saving of £2OOO yearly in wool freight. But there was a great loss by reason of insufficient boats to cope with the trade. An instance was the cartage of benzine from Wanganui that should have been transhipped for Foxton. If more boats were available, £IO,OOO per annum would not nearly approximate the extra saving that would bo involved. Through the inadequate service and motor competition. there was a loss of about £6,000 a year on petrol alone.

The deepening of the waterway to Foxton to ten feet would attract the mosquito fleet and the coal trade would be resuscitated with Grcymouth and Westport. No doubt the railway department would take coal, as it could then bo landed as cheaply at Foxton aa at Wellington, and various big local institutions would also get coal through the port. ’Mr. Golding--Imm here produced two photographs of Foxton, one of 18 years ago, showing 8 steamers berthed and another four years later, with 5 steamers in port. This latter picture, enlarged and framed, Mr. Goldingham then presented to the Chamber of Commerce amid applause, remarking that the photographs were really illuminative of the importance of the part played by Foxton in those days. Foxton lost the coal trade when the Wel-lington-Manawatu railway was taken over by the Government. The sugar boat from Auckland would certainly cal! in after discharging at Wanganui and all South Island ports from Dunedin up would trade produce. The old Nelson regular service would bo revived. There would be a big immediate benefit in savings of freight it increased shipping were available. Secondary industries would crop up as they did at Wanganui and Palmerston North’s population and capital value would increase out of all knowledge. The growth of Palmerston North was extraordinarily slow, though perhaps sure. When its natural resources and the value and quality of the land were considered and compared with those of other parts of New Zealand, Palmerston North’s growth was disappointing. Its population should be 25,000. It was once the fifth town of New Zealand, but had been eclipsed temporarily. Between Wellington and Auckland there should be the makings of a city and Palmerston North really had the opportunity, but could not take it until it had a port trading to the South Island.

“In the sweot-by-and-by” seemed to be the answer to importunities for Foxton waterway improvements, but the speaker was of opinion “now” was the appointed time to seek an eminent engineer's report. New Plymouth had a £OOO,OOO port and Wanganui had topped £1,000,000, but the savings ran into tens of thousands, and caused no wonder that provision could be made for repayment of loans. Wanganui, too, had such rich endowments that its expenditure could be met by the revenue from leases, without calling on the ratepayers. Foxton only had endowments totalling 300 acres, besides a narrow wharf reserve hence the revenue was quite insufficient to go to any expense in connection with deepening without floating a loan. The revenue was only a. miserable 1/4 per ton on the freight of 5/3 paid by the railway. The cost of obtaining expert opinion could he met cither by a guarantee or public subscription and the possibilities were so great that there should be no difficulty in financing it.

Mr. Goldingham criticised the Palmerston North Borough Council’s arrangements for transport of tallow and pointed out that by letting the railway department handle it, instead of sending it by motor service for shipment from Foxton, it was costing the ratepayers £3O for every shipment of 120 casks.

To the plea that it was their duty to freight the tallow by rail, ‘Mr. Goldingham answered that Socialism would soon be involved, as it might be claimed it was equally a duty to insure their lives with the Government Insurance Department and make their wills at the Public Trust Office. Mr. Goldingham concluded his remarks with a plea to the Chamber of Commerce to interest itself in getting an eminent opinion on Foxton waterway.

The chairman expressed appreciation of Mr. Goldingham’s action in addressing the members and all were agreed that Palmerston North should have a port. There was something wrong whejf 18 years ago 8 boats were trading to Foxton and the tonnage, including coal, was 88,000 per annum, compared with 12,000 tons of cargo carried of late years. The inadequate service and lack of continuity in arrivals were crippling the port. The Chamber had carefully gone into the matter of South Island connections and the Canterbury Steam Navigation Company was prepared to institute a weekly service, provided the bar could be got in order. The difficulty was to get boats to carry sufficient freight to pay, in yiew of the light

draught enforced by the bar. The Chamber, after hearing Mr. Goldlngham, would facilitate concerted action by the public bodies to get an expert opinion. For the gift of the historic photograph of the port of Foxton, gratitude was also voiced by Mr. Young.

Mr. J. T. Martin, of Wellington, will be the guest of honour and speaker at the June luncheon of the Chamber.