RANGITAIKI RIVER MOUTH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 95, 3 June 1949, Page 5

RANGITAIKI RIVER MOUTH

Sir, —Perhaps the Beacon can throw some light on the present state of the mouth of the Rangitaiki River. Over 35 years ago when the Lands Department was full of crusading zeal its engineers set to work to drain the Rangitaiki Swamp. The first step was the construction of the Thornton Outlet, which sent the Rangitaiki straight out to sea. Previously the river had distributed its water, some going out at Whakatane and some at Matata.

In recent years settlers who visit the beach at Thornton notice how the river has taken a turn for the worse. Instead of going straight out tc sea it turns along the coast for a mile or so towards Whakatane, forming a lagoon or estuary. About 10 years ago the Lands Department got busy and made a cut through the sandspit and put the Rangitaiki on the straight and narrow path again. As soon as the river got a chance it turned to the right'again and has been heading for Whakatane ever since.

Apparently it is nobody’s job to cut through the sandspit again. The Lands Department used to have a resident engineer at Thornton. Now it has only a working foreman. Once there was a very vocal association of drainage ratepayers to seek the aid of the local M.P. and keep the Minister of Lands on his toes. What is there now?

It is generally understood that there is something called a Drainage Ratepayers’ Committee, but it seems a long while since the Beacon mentioned, its activities. If any Lands Department engineers have visited the Rangitaiki area of recent years they seem to have kept their visits rather quiet. Probably the fact of the matter is that the Lands Department’s chiefs in Wellington are not much concerned with whether the Rangitaiki River gets up to mischief or not.

It might be explained for the benefit of readers not familiar with the river, that when it turns along the coast it backs up and flood waters take a long while to subside. Old settlers of Thornton think it is time someone in authority came and had a look at the river mouth.

Perhaps the Beacon could make inquiries (seeing that it is election year) to see whether the Minister of Lands and his advisers are likely to be round this way. Yours etc., OLD SETTLER.