RANGITAIKI FLOODS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 23, 13 November 1945, Page 5

RANGITAIKI FLOODS

POSITION OF EDGECUMBE

DISCUSS!-:]) IX PARLIAMENT

Referring to an item of on the Estimates for the Rangitaiki drainage Mr W. Sullivan (National, Bay of

Plenty) speaking in the House of said there was a great deal of work to be done in that rich, productive

area. During the war years' the maintenance had 1 gpne back considerably. Now } more dredges were required. Many of the settlers were unable to carry out their interior drainage until the main cuts had been lowered or dealt with.

The Minister of Rehabilitation (the Hon. C. F. Skinner): "We are trying to get machinery up from the Pacific now." People Incensed l Mr Sullivan said the settlers would be very glad to hear that. He urged that the subsidy for the. maintenance work should be increased. People in the township of Edgecivmbe were incensed at the attitude taken up by the department. It was 15 or 20 years since the township started to grow .and many people had put their savings into the building of homes and other premises there ? including an up-to date boafdinghouse, but 12 or 18 months ago the department reported that no further subdivisions would be allowed in the township area for building purposes. It had been revealed in the early stages that there were ccrtain low levels there that were endangered when the Rangitaiki was in flood. As that must have been known many years ago it was an injustice that the embargo on subdivisions for building sites should be put on at so late a date. A suggestion had been made that the building should be done two miles down the road. The Minister: "On higher land." Potential Danger

Mr Sullivan said that was not acceptable to the people of the township. The Minister: "Even though it may be late 5 we should not allow the building now when we. know that the danger is there.'* Mr Sull'ivan said that il' the department took up that attitude it admitted that it had no faith in its own drainage scheme. A big flood in 1925 and another more recently had not caused any damage to the township. A flood-bank on the -'western side of the river would remove any risk of serious flood damage. The Housing Department which was goung to build on some of the host sections available had been frightened out of the area wh'en the. report of the. Lands and Survey Department came doAvn. If it had. not been for that sites would have been acquired for homes. The Minister had undertaken to visit the district as soon as and Ijc wanted him to be prepared and to understand that the town of Edgeeumbe was very concerned. From long experience of the district he (Mr SulMvan) had never seen flood waters on those sites. Once the department had completed the stopbank he had referred to_ there would be no fear of damage through flooding.

Mr Doidge's Remarks Mr F. W. Doidge (National, Tauranga) supported Mr Sullivan. It was not so many years ago, lie said since the liangitaiki area was a swamp. Today it was one of the richest and most fertile areas, in the whole Dominion. A miracle had been wrought: yet what had so far been achieved was a mere bagatelle to I what could yet be done if the Government would on!v realise the full potentialities of the area. Modern methods, if would add immensely to the production of which it was capable. The Minister: "We need machinery."

Visirt by Minister Urged Mr Doidge: "Admittedly. That 1* the urgent need. We know the Minister is sympathetic. That is why we want him to visit the district and discuss these problems with the settlers. Above all, Ave want the Minister to come so that a great injustice may not be done to the town of Edgeeumbe, which has sprung up in the heart of this rich and fertile area. It is a well-built town: a bnsv

shopping area; a town in which enterprising business people have established themselves and where the. pioneer settlers have built happy homes. But because of Hooding difficulties, due to defects which can be remedied, the authorities fear for the town site of Edgecumbe itself. Fears Unfounded There, were experts who were convinced that those dangers did not exist. But meantime the attitude of the authorities cast a stigma on a line and progresisve town and community. That stigma could be removed if the Minister visited the district and investigated the position, and agreed to simple but essential engineering operations. As it was the future development and progress of the town was jeopardised. Mr Doidge added that if the Minister would visit the district and inspect areas: between the Rangitaiki and Te Puke, he would find literally, thousands of acres ready for drainage and re-claiming, thus helping to find land for soldier .settlement .