PROTECTION FROM FLOOD AT MAKERUA

Chronicle (Levin), 6 September 1946, Page 3

PROTECTION FROM FLOOD AT MAKERUA

SETTLERS TO APPROACH THE GOVERNMENT Viewiug their losses and dainage from lioods as a national disaster, farmers of Makerua decided at a largely attended meeting at Tokomaru last niglit, to make urgent representations to the ' Govemment for immediate assistance in taking remedial ineasures to prevent further recuxrences of extensive flooding. The chairniaa oi" the Makerua Rate- , ])uyi:rs' Assoeiation, Mr. A. Gillespie, prcsided and the ro were nearly 100 settlers t'ruin a wido area present. Questions regarding the ability of the Make- ■ roa Drainage Board to deal with the ; situation were uuswered by the ehair- , mai) of that local body, Mr. J. D. ! Aiti'hison.

Al'ter two hours of free and frank flisi'us.siou on the cliief coutributing factors 1o the district 's plight, aud the prol)leius to be faced, it was moved by Mr. Carter, and secnnded by Mr. II. A. Keifert, that the Makerua Drainage Itoard be asked to organise a deputation including representative settlers, to en- , list the aid of the Manawa tu Catehment ; Board in liaving a deputation wait upon ; the Miuister of Works (llon. R. Semple) v\itli a request that (.1) an assunmce be given that immediate priority will I b; granted for tiie work of lowering Wall 's Bpillway on the Manawatu Uiver: (2) iinancial assistance be given ! for the urgent runioval of willows and otlier obstructions i'rom the Tokomaru, , Kara and Mangaone Streams. The idea of the Makerua Drainage : Board eontrolling the rivers was impost sible, said Mr. Aitehison, becanse it just did not have the money. The board had a loan liability of £170,000, and an annual ineome of £13,000y of which , £10,000 was recjuired for iixed charges ' leaving £3000 odd for works. The loan liability rau ont in 1050, and the board was rating up to the limit allowed by ■ the law. They niiglit raise further loans if the Boans Board and the ratejiayers agreed. An allegation that Ihe drainage board lmd not spent a penny of its rates on Ihe district during the past 18 years, with the exception of a little drain ; clearing, was made by Mr. W. Irwin. Inslead, he said, the board went over Ihe banks of Ihe Manawatu River, and planted tre-es in the area of the Mana-watu-Oroua River Board. ' ' Trespassing on someone else's territory to cxpend the money collected in rates" here." he commented. The only works done were those for which spec- , ial rates had been levied. Tliis was denied by Mr. Aitehison who said t.liat tlie £3000 anunally was expended on general maiutenance. He hoped tho Catehment Board would take ' over the streams, leaving the drainage j board free to devote its full attentions j to interual drains. ' There was wide support for the sug-

gestion of tlie (Jatehment Board assuming eoutrol of tlie streams. Tlie meeting passed a vote of tlianks to tliose settlers who had helped their less for+unate neighbours during the flood erisis.