CANAL SUGGESTED

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 38, 14 August 1919, Page 7

CANAL SUGGESTED

BETWEEN FOXTON AND PAL-

MERSTON

Consideration of better communication between Foxton and Palmerston was given at a well-attended meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Farmers' Union.

Mr. A. Buchanan moved : (11 "That the Farmers' Union should consider, the practicability of forming a barge canal between Palmerston North and Foxton, such canal to be the forerunner of a ship canal in the future." ,(2) "That the Farmers' Union consider the desirability of 'the harbour boards of the Dominion being empowered and assisted by the Government to purchase a commercial fleet, the same to be subsidised by the Government, in the same manner the Minister suggested should be done with private companies." In support, the mover said tho time would come when the improvements at Foxton would provide a proper harbour there. In the meantime he felt confident that a barge canal would prove both useful and profitable in the carriage of goods, causing a reduction in freights, and making the upkeep, of the rpads less costly. He had hoped many years ago that the Seddon and Ward Governments would have taken advantage of the agreement with the Manawatu Railway Company to purchase some of the lands, as. doing so would probably have brought such a scheme into operation which, would have benefited the towns on the south side of th« Manawatu. The canal might also bo used for irrigation purposes, as the introduction of water would . make our country even more fertile, and, with the rise which was continually taking place in values, the farmers would have to resort to intensive cultivation to make the holding of the land .profitable. A barge canal would require a channel fifty feet in width at the top with twenty-five feet at the bottom, with a depth of not less than five feet of v water. Locks v/ould be required at intervals. In America, where wages were high, suitable excavating machinery had been used', and' it had been found possible to cut a channel 36 feet at the top and 18 feet at the bottom with a depth of 4 feet 6 inches for £80 per mile. It might be worth, while to get' a report from some competent engineer in the construction of the canal, or else to arrange with the Government to supply a report, on the matter of' both canal and drainage.

During discussion of the proposal attention was called to the following remit from Tiakitahuna :—"ln view of the fact that a. big scheme for banking the southern side of the Manawatu river from Linton to Shannon is under' consideration, that a scheme should be formulated,, to either strengthen the river, or cut a channel from near Longburn to,, Foxton. This would eliminate the necessity and expense of banking both sides of the river, as the settlers on the northern side were certain to erect a bank to counteract the effect of the scheme now in progress. In the opinion of this branch banking the river will necessarily raise the bed, and so force upon settlers the continuous expense of enlarging both banks year after year." It was eventually resolved that as ilie canal matter was of such importance the remit should be sent on to the subProvincial Executive, with a view to its obtaining all data available which had been prepared in connection with the scheme, before it was finally dealt with. With regard to the remit from Tiakitahuna as to improving the river, it was resolved to ask the Public Works Department to supply particulars of the scheme prepared by Mr. Hay about 14 years previously.