Settlers Seek Catchment Board's Help

Chronicle (Levin), 18 September 1946, Page 3

Settlers Seek Catchment Board's Help

Makerua settlers in a large body, togcther with representatives of the Makerua DYaiutige Board, took their • flood problems to the Manawata • Catchment Board \esterday and asked for eooperation in oryaiiising a strong deputation to wait on the Minister ot 1 Works (Hon. K. Semplej with requests i for the speeding up of work 011 lowering Wall 's Spiltway, and financial j assistance for the tusk of elearing ihe I Tokomaru, Kawa and Mangaore Streams. The speakers wcre Messrs A. Gil- : lespie, L. J. Vile, S. II. Claridge, W. U. Simpson, J. F. Carter, V. Burkhart urnl ; II. A. Seifert. I'oints made wcre tliat although tlu; ■ eatehtuent board 's major scheme foi eontrol of the lower Mauawatu Kiver would cust a great deal, it would be nothing coinpared with the losses suffered by Makerua with a major flood, or a continuatiun of lioods such as have ; been experienced in ihe past; tliat i-on- : siderable areas of rich farmiands awaii development in the Makerua when the tlueat of llooding has been removed; tliat Makerua settlers had made tlu : utmost ell'orts to help themsclves ami wero now ontitled to some assistance from the tlovernment. "This board is sympathetic towards your petition, but sympalhy will not d. the job," commented the cluiirmaii (Mr. J. T. J. lleatley). "The eontrol of rivers ainl streams is not a job for drainage boards which should be con cerned with the internal drainage sys tems only. The solution to your problem is the board's major scheme 011 j which preliminary work is now in pro I gress. t can take it tliat the deputation is soiidly behiiid us in this scheme. ' ' Members of the deputation gave a vigorous assurance tliat they wero boliind the scheme. in regard to tlie Tokomaru Stream, the chairinan said a coiiiprehensi ve scheme of eontrol was required. T'inkeriug with the willows woulil not bt sutHcient. "The lower Mauawatu area, including Makerua, is being farmed to only a teuth of its capacity, and when the threat of ilood is removed, it will rnake a tremendous diH'erence to the uhole of Xew Zealand insofar ;ts increasetl production oi' primary products is con cerned," said Mr. lleatley. When the board later discussed the ■ dejtutation 's request, it was eunsideied tiiat any eontbined deputation, such as had l>een suggested, should lirst wait I 011 the Boil Conservation aud lii\ ers Conlrol Couucil, before au ap[>roaeh was made to ihe Minister of Works. However, the details of the deputation ■ ari* to be deferrod until a survey oi • ihe Tokomaru Blreum has been made , tuni the tieeessary data obtumed. .Settlers of the lower Moutoa area w rule expressing concern al the demand of .Makerua settlers i'ur the lovvermg of Wall-'s Spillwuy before the introduetiou of the major scheme. lf such action wcre takou, it was stated, tho Mauawatu Kiver would run wild over a large area. Mr. ,1. D. Aitchison gave au assur ance tliat tlie Makerua people did not seek the lowering of W 'all 's Spillvvas without the major scheme. .Mr. S. W. Barber said such au assur ance would do inueh to relieve Ihe fears of tlie Moutoa settlers. The chairinan said Ihe board vieweii tlie position in regard to all settlers eolleetively, aml would not be slampeded inlo premalure action by an\ oue seclion of tlie comniunity. No time would be wasted in getling the ' big seheiue uiuler way, and this would result in the spillway being lowered iu good liine. SETTLERS HOLD PROTEST MEETING. A w ell-atteinled meeting representalive of district settlers. was held in Foxton when matters in conneetion with ilood eontrol in tlie district wero discussed. Tlie follmving resolutious wcre carried: Tliat the j'ollowiug letter be i'orwarded to the Minister of I'ublic Works (JI011. lt.Bemple): "Tliat at this w ell-uttended and represenlati ve meeting of settlers and ratepuyers of tlie Moutoa sub-division of tlie .MauawatuOroua Kiver Board, the followiug resolutious wero carried unanimously : (li Tliat the Manawatu-Uroua K'iver Board reinain in ollice until the area has a new classitieatioii made by the Catch ment Board. (2) Tliat this meeting is in J'ull sympathy with Makerua rate payers obtaining a subslantial sulisidy to raiso tlie banks 011 the Tokomaru , Stream and for the removal of willows from tlie bed of tlie stream.'' ' Tliat tlie followiug resolutiou be for warded to the .Manawalu-Oroua Kivei Board: "Tliat this meeting oi' tlie rate payers of tlie Moutoa sub-division re quest tliat the Kiver Board raise the 1 tianks from Walls' spillway to Bryant 's spillway to tlie muster grade, and we agree to have Bryant's spillway lowered to the pre-arranged level. " Tliat the followiug resolutiou be for wtirded to ihe Catehment Board: "Tliat this meeting of Moutoa ratepayers wishes to enter au emphatie protesl against the proposal to lower Br. Wall's spillway for Ihe followiug rea sons: fl) Tlie spillway has already been 1 lowered to Ihe salisfacliun of the members of tlie Soil Conservation Couneil. {2) To appreciably lower tlie spillway would reduce the very limited proteetion from lioods and place tlie spillway banks in grave danger of beiug completelv waslied away bv tlie iuereased doptli and weight of water discharging during big Iloods. (.'!) Bnring the jiast 20 years our ratepayers have sutl'ercgl numerous floods through being com pel.led to build lower stop banks and six spillways totalJing two miles in lcngtli in onler tliat the Makerua ratepayers niiglit eiijoy almost eonqilete ini munity frojn lioods from the Mauawatu . Kiver and we submit tliat to endanger the small protection we have would be .11 grave • injustiee aud make it iiujiossibie to suecessfully farm Ihe land."