Dangerous River Mouth

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31087, 16 June 1966, Page 16

Dangerous River Mouth

(N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, June 15. The Waitara commercial fishing fleet, which at its peak comprised 10 boats, has dwindled to two because the bar at the river mouth has become dangerous since the flood last November.

Mr L. Young, a retired commercial fisherman who has studied the river’s moods for 30 years, said today that fishermen were not prepared to risk taking their craft over the bar.

"Even at exceptional tides some of the stones are still sticking up out of the water,” he added. “You have to find a little channel between the

stones—and then when you come back again it may have vanished. “It’s just too dangerous you may get your boat holed or stranded, or both.” Mr Young said the east wall at the river mouth which collapsed in the flood should be replaced before the river could revert to it own course. The Mayor of Waitara (Mr A. D. Wilson) said the report of the council’s consulting engineer, Mr J. O. Riddell, had already been published.

“Mr Riddell said he was not aware of any necessity to replace the broken breakwater at the mouth,” said Mr Wilson. “He said if it were to be replaced it should be placed on a line farther north than the old alignment “The council is still going to await developments as Mr Riddell suggested. “The council is not responsible for maintaining the river in a navigable condition — it’s not the responsibility of any organisation.”