Promise Of Aid In Flood Protection

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31081, 9 June 1966, Page 1

Promise Of Aid In Flood Protection

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 8. Any constituted authority which brought forward a feasible scheme to protect the settlement at Kairaki from flooding by the Waimakariri river would have the assistance of the Ministry of Works, the Minister of Works (Mr Allen) said in Parliament today.

Mr H. E. L. Pickering (Govt., Rangiora) asked Mr Allen whether the stopbanks and rock work recently constructed to protect farmland east of Kaiapoi were also designed to protect the settlement of Kairaki. "No," Mr Allen answered. “The scheme works referred to are on the north bank of the Waimakariri river, and were designed to protect farm lands east of Kaiapoi as far downstream as Saltwater creek from flooding and erosion and to stabilise the present course of the river.

settlement against erosion and tidal overflows was carried out by the North Canterbury Catchment Board in 1964/65, and although the latest scheme was not designed to protect Kairaki, this settlement will receive incidental benefit from the recent works on the north bank of the river.”

Asked by Sir Eruera Tirikatene (Opp., Southern Maori) whether the department had any separate plans to assist the water to run off the land, Mr Allen said it would consider any scheme brought forward by a constituted authority. jc-

“As the member is aware, special protection for Kairaki