THE WAIMAKARIRI.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18892, 6 January 1927, Page 9

THE WAIMAKARIRI.

TU THE EDITOR OF THT, IT ESS- | Sir,--. Many letters have appeared in J your columns on tho subject of the Waimakariri, but very little stress j has been laid on what appear* i u mo to be tho most important result oi the schemes put forward by tho ira.it. All the schemes aim at. straightening and shortening the course of tho n.er and carrying the water pas<t 1 1he cifliuger point to Cliristchurch, but they wil all result in tho shingle being moyc.l from tho part of tho bed a■few mi.e.> upstream from the Lmpire l>ndge am. deposited u little further twwn where the effect of. the tides v.ill be to cunso its deposition, 'lliis must be tho insult of any of tho schemes, lor it- docs not seem possible for the river, v.i.i its low gradient in the last mile or two of its course, to carry i'-s slnngiO out to sea. The carrying power or water in relation to its velocity is governed by clearly ascertained laws. It seems obvious that this problem will have to be faced later on. J lie Trust does not say much about it now —possibly for the reason that it thinus tho community will provide another £200,000 to deal with the altered situation when it asks for it. But it is surely better to consider the matter now. North Canterbury in general ami Cliristchurch in particular fire faced with tivo largo problems the control of tho Waimakariri and tho provision of improved sea communication. Under the latter beading T include the various Cliristchurch Port schemes, the questions of tunnel road, electrification, of the tunnel, Die.se) engines, etc., and also the associated question of loosening the stranglehold of tho Railway Department oil the wharves at Lytte.ton. The multiplicity of these schemes surely indicates that probably the majority of the people arc dissatished with somo part of the present arrangements, but, as free people, they do not think alike when remedies aro suggested. I therefore feel some diflideuco in making still another suggestion. Tho No. 3 scheme of the lrust, l>y which the Waimakariri will be led across Irishman's Flat, provides tho shortest routo of all, and, as a consequence, the steepest gradient. It is the most costly from its interference with existing roads and railways. The secondary deposit of shingle to which I have referred will take place somewhere along this course. As Mr George Lee has so often stated this can bo dealt with only by dredging. Tli'i objection to this is, of course, its cost. If this expense can ho made to serve two purposes instead of one, it may however be worth while. This is where I venture with all humility to make a suggestion. Tho routo of the No. 13 scheme crosses the River Ktys. The Styx Valley crosses the Marshland road some 4} miles from Cathedral square, traversing, I believe, low-priced laiub If dredging must be done, why not make it serve tho purpose of maintaining a waterway to Christchurch, with turning basin and wharves within easy reach of the City by road or rail!* 1 1 know that the difficulty of keeping a deep channel dredged and maintaining an' open sea entrance will be strongly advanced against tho scheme, but it is not wise in these days to say things are impossible. It is not necessary for me to say much concerning the advantage of having a port within easy access of the City both by roai. and" rail, for the advantages are obvious to all. lhe main question i»" Would it pay? taking into consideration the fact*that it is concerned with the solution of two problems at once. —Yours, etc..