WAKANUI RIVER BOARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1891, 12 July 1888, Page 2

WAKANUI RIVER BOARD

A meeting of the Board was hold en Tuesday. Present: Messrs Jas. Biowu (Chairman), S. Brown and M. Wilson. BEVOXBDI The resolution passed on April 14bh having reference to the proportion of rates to be struck m each olass was revoked. BITER PROTECTION. Measrß Fooka and Son, engineers, submitted the fol'owtng report :— Ashburton, July 9;h, 1888. The Chairman Wakanui JRiver Board.

Sir, — In accordance with the instructions of the Board of April 14th, last, we have made a careful examination of the river banks on the north-east side from the accommodation road between rural sections 4920 and 16837 south-eaaterly for a distance of two miles aa far as the lower j boundary of Baoholc's farm, and have made a detailed survey and plan of the same which accompanies this for reference. We have also examined the Boath-we-rtarn banks immediately opposite this stretoh of the river, noting ohanges that hove taken place since tue detailed survey made by us for the County Oounoll m 1894. We have o-mfined ourselves to this portion of the river (for the present) as there seems to be no Immediate danger further up, as by the growth of willows and stray gorae there Is a series of natural breakwaters, which, though allowing a oeitiln amount of flooding of the land, prevent to a great extent any tsrlous injury or actual loss of the more valuable portion by scouring, , Before entering upon the question of defence or protection we would first glance at the state of the river at the present time, m one sense It is not mft favorable state for forming a judgment as to its probable course m case of a fresh it beiDg exceptionally low for the season of the year, owing to the fine weather that baß prevailed for the last two months. The main stream is not threatening any portion of the south-eastern bank, except it may be that portion where the river has infringed on the road at the point marked (A) on the map, and here and there along the lower portion of the bulwark, and again at the old groin put In In 1881 at (B), and Immediately above it, a still , larger stream runs under the bank. Bacween the two points, A and B, the river has, to a great extent, left the bank, this length is also tolerably well protected with a good growth of willows, though they are not, however, sufficiently oon--1 tinuoua to be a thoroughly effeotive protection. On the further or Bonth-weat bank we also find that the greater portion of the water is keeping a more central course m the river-bed away from the banks from about 0 to D on the map, but at the latter point or more particularly at E (t has out channels through or over the land, catting off email portions of land and forming islands. We found traces of a considerable body of water having run down old water courses and depressions m the direction from O to F (Strange'a flat) which were evidently recent, and no doubt caused by a small freeh that occurred m the beginning of June. So far then, as our observations enable us to judge In the present state of the river, tne points A and B and the space between B and the end of the bulwark appear to require the first attention of the River Board, especially the banks at A where some scouring is now aotually going on, and we would advise that Immediate steps be taken to prevent further damage, which need not we consider entail any very great expense.

This question of expanse there la no doubt, well have to be considered m a special manner, m devising any plan of river protection for thin dlatrlot aa the danger affects a comparatively email extent of country aud the cost, therefore, falls on only a few ratepayers. It would be easy, for instance, to coustruot lengths of bulwark or groina of the character of the preeent bulwark that would prove an effectual and immediate barrier to the incursions of the river, If the coat were of no great importance, but we presume that the expoudlture whioh it would entail, would put Buch a plan out; of court, and it will be necessary to fall back on a more inexpensive mode of proceeding, 1 l\j add to this view of the question, ouc experience ia late years and the experiments as they may be termed In which we have been" concerned, or have watohed (for most of the river pro 7 teetlon works that have been carried out la Canterbury have consisted mainly of a aeries of experiments) have lad us to the o ncluaion that the moat substantial and most expensive works have not always, lo fact believe wa cai nay they hv?e rarely proved In the end to be the moat efficacious.

To put the case then as shortly aa ponaible, the plan we would otrline In reoommendation to the Board, as the outoorae of our observations, would be, firstly, to confine any operations to the northeast sldo of the river and seoondly, to make a judialoua use 6f the throe essential materials willow planting, gorse faaoines anijl 'oo^tlnuoua Wphfofi and attention, vyfllow planting, we ooftsider tho Bheet anphqr of any scheme of river protection, and any grolug or other constructions with iron piles and fasoln.es that may be found neoeßSurj !° ba oon s^ered and planned aa a protection, or, aa guarding 7 m °»a. until they are of sufficient growth. Genorolly speaking, the plan would be, to conetrnot a peftaiu number of hard points, so to upeak, beibg small groinß built up of fasolaes, and where needful, anohored with pilea of railway iron, with extensive willow planting. Constant watching and repairing we regard as a sint $10, typ?jt, if success ia to be hopol for j "we have noticed that comparatively expensive works, auoh a.% groins, have been built and then j q j. t(J themselyaß, or rather, to the raeroy of the ft jods, whioh bave gradually undermined and destroyed them, and the money expended on them wasted, bo to Bay, and literally thrown into the river. Ia no case, we believe, ia adherence to the old proverb " A stitch ia time saves nine" more valuable thau m both the carrying oat nnd the care of river proteotlou works, With regard to the plan of cutting a channel or opening some of the old water oouraea and gallloß on the further side of the river we ooaslder that there is so much uncertainty aa to the effect of auoh a course a« well aa rlek" and expense attached to the diversion of a large body of water into new ohannela that we do not feel justified m recommending it. We lay atres3 on the riak and expense, as we have auch dangerous materials to deal with, loose : shingle and sand exposed to the scouring of & body of water whioh, on aoooant of the groftt fall towaida the aea, rushes with ■uoh feftttoletra vpfodty, ihafc it becomes impossible to controlor 6on6ne Its direotlon, and consequently large tracte.of land may be washed ayay, for whioh the Board would be called on for compensation. We cannot but feel that the Board may oonplder thla report aa of too general a bhtlraote^, and wo pertalnly should wißh to watch a froah ill J jbhe river before going more into details," either of obiaatrnotion or cost, f here are, however, a few works that #c V9 a l& V r S d immediate attention, and we reoommeuol that the following should be put m hand ; — i. To repair the bulwark In several pl&oes where it has been damaged or given way, especially at the extreme south end.

2, To put the two old groins »bovo the bulwark m an effiofent state. 3. To construct, Bay two groins between thd bulwark and thp old groin at B, and tp put m a iqw matoressei Jn same loflality, 4., To put Id a fow mattresses 05 the bank between A and B,

5. To construct • groin at A and profeofc the bank at some of the threatened points wUhraaU^aiei, ; ';-. m ...

6. To make prepara'ions for willowplanting. Noo. 5. 3, and 1 we consider of the moat immediate Importance. The coat of the worka intimated as above we estimate would be about £200 to £250, but we oould nob guarantee the exact .coat of worka of this oharaoter, si the firat fresh might compel an alteration of the prooadure, and even the oharaoter of the worka that now appear to be needed. ' '

We have not made reference to the plan of inner embankments, such as that running northerly from the point A to stop the overflow easterly, but we consider It a most judicious work, and advise that the apace between the embankment and the river bank be planted with belts of willows as Boon as convenient. We hardly thfnk it neoassary to extend this plan farther down the river at present, aa we think the fence on the eastern aide of the road may aat on the same principle, and for the same purpose for whioh the embankment was constructed.

With respeot to the attention and repairing that we recommend, wbioh involvea the constant services of an aotlve intelligent man, we do not consider It will be required all the ye*r round, bat only for 6 to 9 months m the year, aoaordlng to the season, and we would further lay stress on the faot, or what we believe the Board would find to be a faot, that If jodloloua and energetic measure* be adopted at once, and that the works be kept In a state of effiolenoy for two or three years, what may be called the heavy work would become gradually lighter, and repairing only be found neoessary. We should ba happy to give a more praotioal exposition of our views If the Board would visit the works we have curried out for the Borough Council. We have, etc , 0. B, Fooxs and Sotf.

The Engineers waited on the Board and explained and discussed matters alluded to In the report. Consideration was left over to another meeting. SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting wub then held to con* alder the making and levying of a rate, Ie waa decided to give public notice In accordance with the Act of the following special order : <f That at a meeting of the Wakanul JEtiver Board to be held on the 11th day of August, 1888, the following resolution will bB proposed "That a general rate for the year ending 31st of March, 1889, be made and levied on all rateable properties In the Wakanul River district In a graduated soala according to the classification of the lands Id the district, m the manner following, that is to say : On all properties iholuded In the firstclass six farthings m the £, on all properties Included In the seoond class three farthings m the £, m all properties included In the third class three-eighths of a penny m the £, the said rate to be paid m one sum on the 21afc day of August, 1888, to Messrs Fooks and Son at the Wakanul Road Board offioes, Moore street^Ashburton. The rate book will be open for Inspection at the before mentioned offices from the 25th day of July, 1888, to the 11th day of August, 1888, during offiqe hours." The meeting then Btidad.