WANGANUI RIVER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2727, 23 March 1916, Page 2

WANGANUI RIVER

RECENT FLOODS

BOARD IN NEED OF FUNDS

By Teleßraph.-fSpMifll Correspondent} Wanganui, March 22. As a sequel to the heavy ilootfs in the Wanganui River in July last, the navigation in the upper readies is now carried on with tho greatest difficulty, and in many instances the settler's sole outlet has been practically closed. River protection worKs to the value of £1500 wore destroyed, and in ouo reach o" sixteen miles, Taumarunui to Aukopoe, the channel is now filled up with shingle and is a serious menace to the conduct of river traffic. -■ ... The Wanganui River Trust is dependent on Government subsidies, and with the result of tho untoward damage to the river is unable to restore the protection works. Matters have now reached such an acute crisis that a conference of interested local bodies is to be held here next month, to submit to the Government a proposed scheme for maintenance of this important highway. . At a meeting of the River Trust today, the chairman explained that tho Hivor Domain Board had certain funds available from endowments, but the money was not available lor expenditure on tho waterway. It is considered that the land served by the river is of good'quality, and if leased to settlers would provide £1300 a year revc.uue The area in question is approximately about 5000 acres. : Mr. G, V.. Pcarce, M.P., pointed out that the Government was now opening up roads on each side of the river, and Bottlers' requirements would be the nrst consideration. He feared local bodies would be unable to assist in river maintenance, as the funds were so urgently needed for roads. Mr. D. Ross, chairman of the Wairotara County Council, considered that the proper course was to urge the Government to set up a Royal Commission to take evidence. It was imperative that the river should be' kept open. At present large quantities of wool were awaiting to Iw brought down, but the settlers wore unable to ship the same. The proposed road from Jerusalem to Wanganui would cost £2400, and tho freight on wool brought down, by motor lorries was £1 per oiffe, as compared with freight of os. Id. on the water. Ho considered the road could never compete with.the river. He also pointed out that a number of the roads tapped a wide territory, and for topographical reasons had an outlet to the river only. If tho river is blocked it would-mean packing the wool and other produce over fifty miles to tho railway, which would be serious to settlers. The cbiirman said the proposed road •only tapped one-fifth of the area served by the river. The following schemes were submitted bv a s'ub-conimittce:—

(1) The time has arrived to place tho Wanganui ltiver Trust and Domain Board on a more satisfactory basis both constitutionally and financially. ('<!) It if •Jeslrablc that m ruturo all improvement works should be of moro permanent character,', giving greater average depth at low river. , (3) To give eft'ect to the foregoing it is desirable that a sum of £60,000 should be provided in tho following manner: (a) By raising a loan qt £ii(),000; lb) by the Government subsidising the amount £ for £ up xo £30,000; to provide interest at 5 per cent., and sinking fund 1 per cent; would require £1800 per annum; an area of five miles on each side of the river for a distance of 60 miles as' tho crow flies', if taken, would give an area of 384,000 assuming < the value at £4 per acre, it would give a capital value of £153,600 ,and a rate of a farthing in the pound on the capital value would produce £1600, leaving the balance of £200 to bo provided out of revenue. The No. 2 proposal was that an amount of £2500 be contributed by local bodies, vis:., counties interested in' the area, £1300; Wanganui Borough, £150; Taumarunui Borough, £50; rents from domain land, £600: river dues, £200; from endowment land, ■ £200; making £2500, added to which would be the Government annual grant. of £2500.

It was proposed that the Act bo amended, giving the Trust full power to uso the whole, of the revenue from the domain lands that arc let, and. that may be let in ftuure for botli domain and river trust purposes. That in future all members of the Eivor Trust anij Domain Board should be elected by the local hodies contributing. After considerable discussion of tho above alternative schemes, the Trust decided to recommend the second one for discussion at the conference. Suggestions made for providing finance wore to increase the river dues and to nlace a tax on tourists. The River Trust is, ltowever, extremely reluctant to have to resort to those means to obtain funds to carry'nn their work.