Dear Sir,

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 59, 28 July 1947, Page 4

Dear Sir,

Letters to the Editor must be clearly written on one side of the paper only and where a nom-de-plume is used the name of the writer must be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the right to abridge, amend or withhold any letter or letters. ALLANDALE FLOODING Sir, —The flooding of Allandale is really the result of private enterprise. The original natural stream out of the gorge ran down McAlister Street, through the section bn which Dr. Cole’s consulting rooms stand to the Rock., The present drain was dug by Messrs Wilkie and Goulstone 40 years ago to water their stock and drain the farm, which was originally a Native eel reserve. The difference in the length of the present drain and the old stream to the river is less than half. The old stream had a natural fall of 7ft.*'The fall of the present drain is artificial or in other words an attempt has been made to make water run uphill which naturally it won’t do. Apanui was cut up and sold for private interests and the cost of reopening the natural course is prohiibtive. All the legal expenses and expert advice in the world won’t make water run uphill, the only way out is a short straight cut to the 1 river, which private enterprise blocked while the powers that were slept or winked as the case may be. Yours etc., HARRY SERGANT.