FIVER ENCROACHMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1269, 21 June 1886, Page 2

FIVER ENCROACHMENT.

To The Editor. Sir, —In your leader of the 17th inst. you comment on the threatened river encroachment, and imply that the promaters of the meeting at Wakanui are “ alarmists” and destitute of “ commonsense and the laws of hydrodynamics.” These laws I will not pretend to dia uss, hut will take it for granted that you thoroughly understand them. When you visited the intake of the mill race, you would observe, and note down, that the water level in the mill race was within 18 inches of the level of the surface of the ground at the Beach road ; and also that the water was standing almost dead, and showed the level of the river bed, for the dam In the river was partly gone. Moreover, you would note—or ought to have noted as an impartial judge about to deliver judgment—that the bank at theintake was about 4 feet high, and that the sluice in the race was so dilapidated as to bo of no service. Now, I have many a time seen the river trickling over the bank at this place. I have seen it wash away the sluice put in there by the -County Engineer—not down the river, but over the bank, and down the field towards the school. Let me ask- were the river to rise to the top of the bank, as it has often done before, what amount of water, with the old sluice in its bosom, by the laws of hydrodynamics, would be likely to flow down the Beach road ; and by the same laws, what amount of damage would it be likely to do to public and private property ? I beg that you answer these questions, and let the light of tins wonderful science, hydcdynamics. help to dispel the dark ignorance of the “ alarmists” of Wakanui Flat.

You say the County Engineer reported “ that the diversion would in no way endanger the adjoining properties.” When did ho so report ? The report cannot be found ; it never appeared in your paper. I have heard the Engineer say that the taking of the water from the river for the mill led the river into the bend, and that the cutting of the race weakened the bank, and made it wear away quicker than if no cutting were there. Wo are not satisfied with the action of the County Council and Mr Protheroe in this matter. I will tell you why. mill It appears to many that the proprietors are greatly favored by the Council If the Council do not favor them, then, how do you account for this —the millowners are allowed to take what water they think fit from the river; they often take three times more than what is necessary fpr driving the mills; they stop it whfen they please. What has been the result of that ? This : —Our water races were dry for a day or two nearly every week—this was before the river got dry; and for some time back farmers on the creek have loudly complained of their land being flooded. Do you doubt it ? Road the enclosed letter; consult your paper of the drd of April last, and you will find the Council giving Mr Protheroe leave to bring water from the river to swell an overcharged creek, while Mr Corbett was present complaining of tire water, and protesting against its volume being increased. D:d they hearken to him I They did not. Lo at the injustice of this : —The Coun cil allows a largo amount of water to be taken from the river to accommodate the mill proprietors ; the water does a large amount of damage down the creek ; then the Council expends a considerable sum of money to prevent more damage from overflow ; further, they, in spite of Mr Corbett, increase the water, and then try to comfort him by an offer of £ls, if he would do a £OO job. I have his word for that. I look upon this water business as hauing been badly managed from first to last; whereas, by proper management, it might be a blessing to all concerned, instead of an inconvenience and bono of contention, as at present. You say in substance—“ That if the present concessions were terminated by ttie County Council, after giving fair notice to the lessee, considerable hardship would be inflicted on individuals.” It is a pity you did not giye further information about this hardship. I .can’t bo Mr Protheroe, for he is likely io have the use of the river water till the end of his present lease. Perhaps you mean the shareholders of the Bank of Now Zealand —the owners of the mill—as the individuals likely to suffer ; surely the stoppage of the Wakanul Mill, which is not like'y for the want of water, would not make any reduction in their usual 15 per cent profit The *’ alarmists ” are not devoid of sympethy, and I am sure would like to know where to find the suffering indivi uala when their hardships

begin. It has been often asked, —“ Why did you not object when Mr Prothoroe

ode his application, or duriii' the lon H three months that the OormniHeo were gravely considering th« questi >n 1” I will speak for myself; the report of his application in yonr paper led me astray. These are the words—“ A letter was read from Mr A. Protberoe asking permission to take water from the Wakanni creek and the Asbnrton river to work the Wakanni Mill” I under itood tbese! words to mean, that be intended to take the water from the creek, which as every one knows, is part of the Ashburton river turned into it; besides, the lessee told me himself that he lutended to bring the water from the creek, and pointed out the course he intended to take it, and asked me if I thought there would be any objections. He has no reason to complain. The ratepayers of ths district were not consulted in any manner of way, but, as it were, in defiance of the 20 petitioners, on the 2nd of April the Council granted him permission to pat a dam in the rivet bod, and never took the trouble to see whether he had a proper sluice to stop back a flooded river or not. At all events, it has been as I have stated from that time to this. It is wel'-known that the water for the Wakanni Flat was fur some time taken from the river and from the same dam as the mill race was taken from Such was found to be dangerous, expensive, and precarious; dangerous, because Mr Baxter’s fl jodgate was arrested on it way to the Pacific; expensive, because every fresh washed away the dam. The Oonncil now bring oar Mater from the creek. I am of opinion that it would be to the interests of the mill proprietors to havo a permanent supply from the same scource ; not as the Council has, I understand, been doing all along, bat by an amicable arrangement whereby the County Council, the Borough Council, and the proprietors of the Canterbury Mills, and themselves would bear the cost of keeping up the supply ; and not as It Is now, by an over supply to the detriment of others, but by such a supply as would drive tfae mills without doing injury to the farmers on the creek. I thank you for your sp ice, and admit that the tone of your leader shows a partiality to the sound of the hopper ; still, I think you would stop itv “ clappettie clink ” rather than drown a district. The action of the County Council and its strange inconsestavey I commend to the careful attention of the ratepayers. Your etc., J ame« Brown. [Mr Brown has taken up so much of our space that we must reserve our comments on his letter for another fame.— Ed G.]