GROWING MENACE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 60, 30 July 1947, Page 5

GROWING MENACE

RIVER EROSION PROBLEM 'LETTERS TO COUNTY COUNCIL The growing menace of river erosion in the Whakatane County was again emphasised at the meeting of the County Council yesterday when a number of letters were received from rateJ payers urging that protective measures he instituted in the in-. terests of their respective properties. The council discussed the matter fully and referred the communications on to the Public Works Department.

The first letter in the form of a petition from Messrs. E. H. Hill, C. T. Rawson, W. M. Reid and J. M. Downes urged that the river be diverted to its original channel which ran against the hill on Sisam’s side of the river. This would necessitate a cut through several chains of shingle bed, the removal of a few clumps of willows growing in the middle of the bed, and the laying of 21 chains of willows along the Rawson Estate property, and 11 chains along Mr Ralph Brown’s property at present occupied by Mr J. Downes). The position had been discussed with Mr Sisam and he had agreed to the proposal. A subsidy for the work was desired and the council is asked to take the necessary steps in this matter.

Mr A. L. Richardson writing under the same heading stated that the flooding of the Whakatane River away about eight chains of willowing on the writer’s property and also portions of the stopbank. About six chains of the lower portion of willowing would cost about £B4 and to repair the other two chains would co§t considerably more per chain as a hole had been washed out behind the willowing necessitating the use of a bulldozer .and possibly some groynes would also have to be constructed to hold the loose earth back from the river. “The work was of an urgent nature rand the counsil was asked to make the county bulldozer available, or arrange for the use of the P.W.D. bulldozer. The council was also requested to arrange for a subsidy. “This is a most serious thing,” declared Cr McGougan, “valuable farmland is being eroded year after year and it is the council’s duty to have it corrected somehow.” Councillors referred to the threat to the-Borough approaches and also to the fact that the Whakatane at intervals along its whole course was steadily deteriorating the bordering farmlands.

“I would like to point out,” said the chairman, Mr J. L. Burnett, “that we will help any settler who makes representation to us. There is one case here where a settler has already completed the work before any inspection has been made. The correct procedure is to approach this council to have an inspection made to see just what remedial work should be done and to ensure that no one else will suffer as a result. We will then hack it up to the Works, Department and it will go through the proper channels. Settlers should bear this in mind for the P.W.D. will not sanction any grant unless it is applied for in the proper way.”

Cr McGougan stated that a number of Taneatua settlers affected intended having a meeting in the near future with regard to the drastic which had taken place. He trusted the Council would support .any representations from this meeting to the Rivers Control Council.

Cr Luxton considered that the whole of the Rangitaiki Plains was vitally concerned in the whole question of rivers control. If some concerted action could be taken, starting from the mouths of the Rangitaiki and Whakatane and working upwards, it would meet with the support of the settlers. Cr McCracken: Until we get a Catchment Board set up we are going to be stonewalled in this matter all along the piece! Setting out the position with regard to the Catchment Board, the chairman said that in the first instance, the. Government had ■’intended forming a big catchment area, involving the Counties of Whakatane, Opotiki, Tauranga and parts of Taupo arid Rotorua. This was considered too unwieldy and the Whakatane Council had favoured only a small Board involving the Whakatane and Opotiki Counties and Boroughs for the purpose of controlling the Whakatane, Waimana and Rangitaiki rivers and other streams nearer Opotiki. This had been agreed to by the Rivers Control Council, but latterly their view iJhd been changed and it was now .contemplated forming the larger

area which had been first planned. The position now was that no Catchment Board could be formed until the other counties concerned (Tauranga, Taupo and Rotorua) had agreed to come into -the area. Personally he favoured the smaller Board. The council referred the Tetters concerned to the P.W.D. for action and reply.