POROPORO COMPLAINT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 87, 6 July 1945, Page 5

POROPORO COMPLAINT

i RAISING OF STATION ROAD CAUSE OF FUTURE FLOODS Following the years of agitation from settlers in the White Pine Bush area # for the permanent raising of the level of Station Road ? it was something of a surprise to the County Council last week to receive a deputation from Poroporo fanners who vigorously protested against such a measure being taken, on the grounds that it would lea.! to the flooding of their lands lower down the stream. The deputation which was headed by Mr L. Buddie comprise l ,d Messrs. Snsam Rydc and Langenberger and presented a petition signed by forty residents who drew attention to the very serious erosion above the Borough Bridge where the existing horse-shoe bend had aggravated the flooding and lilted it to 'a serious level. The petitioners contended that a cut should be immediately put through the bend in.order to re-' licve the peak level ol the flood waters and ensure the safety of the bridge. The deputation whilst upholding the petition presented their major grievance against the raising of the level of Station Road and spoke civ tircly from this aspect. Mr Buddie stated that the Land Drainage Department had definitely created a ponding area at Poroporo and that if the road level Averc increased it would prevent the water flowing over the road and finding its way on to the waste land on the norwest where it could do no and would confine it to the lower

reaches of Poroporo where the Hood problem over the past years was already a growing one. He traced the farm history of the Poroporo lands over the past few years, and saitl that in the earlier days of,, settlement it was one of the lew dry spots, bordering the Borough. Now however with the rapid draining of the Waioho Kiwinui and other creeks it was. a different story. The raising of Station Road was going to increase the difficulties of the Poroporo settlers for it was confining the greater volume of water which would ultimately How across their properties. Mr Ilyde described, the heavy losses of potato and kumara erops during the recent and said that the Maoris viewed the position very seriously. The last two lloods had reached levels 7 inches higher over lands which were previously free from Hooding. The very ridges at Poroporo which were in pa.st days selected by Maoris for their settlements were now being covered. Mr Langenberger claimed that the lloods were getting worse and worse every year the last occasion, compelling him to milk his 1 cows in nearly two feet of water. Mr Sisam pointed out that, whilst the water flowed over Station Road it merely found its way on to unproductive land and that prevented the inundation of first class pasture land lower down. He favoured piercing the road in order to relieve the strain, and also to give protection to the Poroporo lands. The engineer said the present operation were aimed at merely rebuilding the road up to its original level. Repeated lloods had„lowered it considerably and it was now hoped to consolidate it, and overcome to some extent at least the repeated cost of repairing it. Cr Lux ton contended that the Hooding at Poroporo was caused mainly by\be newly,-formed foaloon bend above the Borough bridge, where so much erosion had taken

place and where the council was al- ; ready battling to have something done. ' When the deputation had wit-h- - drawn the chairman said the couiir - cil was placed in an invidious position lor on the one hand they had ■ had' repeated representations from - a body ol' settlers at White Pine h Bush to raise the level of the road 1 on account of its dangerous nature c during Hood and now they | had others who claimed that the j y* raising would have disastrous re- - suits. a It was decided "that with the d council's support petition lie ]'ori- warded to the Honourable Minister d of Works and that Honourable Ming ister be respectfully asked to give subject matter of petition f urgent

attention- —that matters raised in regard to Hood repair of Station Roaii to original level be referred on Wednesday by chairman and engineer to District Highways Council.'