RANGITAIKI DRAINAGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 194, 17 December 1941, Page 5

RANGITAIKI DRAINAGE

SETTLERS AND MINISTER

EXCHANGE OF LETTERS

ENGINEERING REPORT TO 1 BE

OBTAINED

Settlers on the Rangitaiki Plains are much concerned at the prospect of the war in the Pacific pushing* stil'l further into background the likelihood of the Lands Department attending to the mouth of the Rangitaiki River.

For some years settlers of the Thornton district near the mouth of the Rangitaiki have suffered loss through ilooding of their land every winter! This, they claim, is due to the river water backing up the drains because the mouth of the river is impeded by a sandspit. Instead of the river going straight out to sea, it now turns at right angles, forming an estuary behind the sandspit. The spit is now a mile or so long. Minister's Reply to. Settlers - Replying to a recent letter from the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Ratepayers' Committee, the Minister of Lands states:— "I note the views of your committee in regard to the -diversion of the Rangitaiki River outlet and the need for the stabilising of the mouth to ensure a direct outfall. "I shall be pleased to take this matter up with my Department and to obtain an engineering report on the practibility of the suggestions made. I shall write you as soon as possible." At the present time no further ietter has been received from the Minister, and settlers are wondering whether anything will be done before the war in the Pacific is brought to a satisfactory end. What Settlers Asked For On November 5 a committee of Thornton settlers conferred at Thornton with Messrs Innis and Taylor, engineers of the Lands. Department. As a result of this meeting the following letter was sent to the Minister of Lands by the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Ratepayers' Committee-: —

The Rangitaiki River instead of flowing direct to the sea, has been diverted along the coast, eastward, about, one mile by the prevailing winds and currents. The Ratepayers' Committee represented to your officers that' this diversion of the Rangitaiki River mouth is, losing to some 4000 acres of valuable farming country at least 18 inches of lall. This is a serious position. Ihc settlers state that the effect of the loss of the fall is that the flood gates which you had erected some years ago now fail to function.. Furthermore. the country, which should at least enjoy the benefit of low tides, is getting little or no benefit at all therefrom. If these conditions continue it will mean that a considerable area of good farming country will have to be abandoned, and alsoi a considerable portion of the 4000 acres referred to above will be turned into country suitable only for summer grazing, and as such, uneconomic land to farm.

Mr Innis admitted to the deputation that the present position of the river mouth would seriously affect farming operations, and that Avithout the stabilising of the Rangitaiki River mouth, the position would not improve, but in all probability would steadily deteriorate. Serious Position This is a serious state of affairs which is seriously limiting production in a time when all our energies are directed to increasing production. It is understood that your Department considers, the present state of affairs should be remedied.

The Thornton settlers are emphatic that no time should be lost in embarking noAV on measures which Avill relieve the present serious position. It is respectfully suggested that the eastern bank of the Rangitaiki River be groyned noAV, and as the river is so diverted such Avork be proceeded with from time to time until ultimately the diversion Avill have been achieved.

The settlers maintain that if you j Avould agree to the necessary expenditure that as the work progressed so the present serious position Avoukl be relieved. It is the local opinion that a relatiA'ely small expenditure will by this means permanently turn the mouth of the Rangitaiki River to the benefit of the Avhole of the Rangitaiki River Avatcrshcd situated in the drainage area. It will be appreciated that in time of flood, the quicker the whole of the Rangitaiki basin can be drained to the sea, the more effectiA r e Avill the Avhole of the drainage Avorks in the area prove. (Continued in noxt column)

Matter for the! New M.P. From conversation with representative Thornton settlers a representative of the Beacon gathered the impression that they fear that the Government will do nothing to the Rangitaiki River Avliile the Avar is in progress. It is fully appreciated that Cabinet Ministers and their staffs Avill be busy with emergency precautions resulting from the spread of the Avar to the Pacific. HoAvever, settlers intend taking the matter up with Mr W. Sullivan, M.P., Avith a A 7 ieAV to getting the new Mi.P. for the district to press the Lands Department to. "keep the Rangitaiki outlet steadilj r in A r ieAA r ," and perhaps to get something done when times become more normal. Farmers Avith land under Avatcr in Avinter consider that the Government really could find the few hundred pounds needed to set up groynes of piles and planks at the mouth of the mer. They comment on the fact that other avenues of State expenditure have been kept going merrily during the Avar years, such as State housing and railway building. They hope that the new member for the district avi 11 attend to this Aital matter in the interests of the Rangitaiki Plains, and indirectly of the town of Whakatane,