MAKERUA STOPBANKS TO BE RAISED

Chronicle (Levin), 22 October 1947, Page 3

MAKERUA STOPBANKS TO BE RAISED

The Manawatu Catchment Board is to ask the Makerua Drainage Board to raise the levei of the Tokomaru and Mangaore stopbanks to minimise the fiooding danger in the Opiki area. This was the decision of the catchment board yesterday when a letter was received from Opiki Federated Farmers expressing disappointment at the length of time required to commence operations on Walls ' -spillway and the necessary guide banks. The position was more serious than the average man realised, said Mr. J. T. J. Heatle'y. A major disastor could be caused in the area witho'ut prior warning. The Opiki farmers were living in an area vitally elfected by the river and the spillway was not making much progress, stated Mr. J. D. Aitchison. The farmers were very anxious and looking to the board for security. It was necessary to have all the data complete to make the scheme successful and to be sure that it would be the final, major scheme, objected Mr. 8. W. Barber. Mr. Heatley: It has been approved in Wellington. c Mr. J. B. Chrystall: The Opiki farmers do not realise what must be goue through before this, a part of the major scheme, can go through. "We are contin,uiug to work on this, two men being employed there all the timo," said the chief engineer, Mr. P. G. Evans. "We must iind what volunie of water we havo' to deal' with and surveys have to be made. The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Couucil approved a preliminary scheme. The work is being gone on with; it cannot be donc at once. We must- have the right scheme before tackliug it in earnest. ' ' Ih moving that the Makerua Drainage Board be asked to raise its banks Mr. Chrystall stated that a late tlood in the Tokomaru River slriking the flood of the Manawatu River would cause the banks to be toppod. In seconding the motion Mr. Barber said that an element of danger in the situation demanded that the work be begun before Christmas., "Our banks would have been alright -if something had not bqen done somewhere else;,; said Mr. Aitchison. "We have been waiting for Walls ; spillway for a long time. What is it that is holding up this job in the lower Manawatu? It's fuMlment was a direct instructiou l'rom the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council. The raising of the Tokomaru banks will not be required if the spillway goes through. ' ' Mr. Barber: This all hinges on the time lag between decision and action. If the board could give some indilation of how long they expectcd the job to take we may get somewherc. "Banking in the lower Manawatu area has been the cause of this position today; it is not the cure, " said Mr. Heatiey. Upon. being put to the meeting the motion was carried on a show of hands.