Manawatu Land Drainage Board.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 217, 16 March 1897, Page 2

Manawatu Land Drainage Board.

O ».— ' A special meeting of the above Board , was held yesterday. Present - Messrs Buick (Chairman), Sanson, Knighl 1 Stevens, Flyger, Bryant and Matheson , The meeting was held for the purpose of going into the question of erecting suitable works to prevent the Oroua 1 river overflowing near Mr J. Saunders ! property. Mr Srunders, jun., waited on the Board at its last meeting, and aftei hearing bim a committee was appointed ' to visit Jthe scene and report upon the ' best means to cope with the difficulty. Mr J. Saunders wrote again on the ! subject, stating that the inroads of the 1 river had assumed serious proportions, He considered that one more flood would cause the river to break througb into the lagoon on the native property at Kai Iwi, and from tbere on to the Rangi* 1 tikei Line, causinp endless destruction ' to property. Another Awahuri bridge would have to be built. It was a much , more serious question than tha Board , apparently was aware both for the settlers and the district, because once the river broke through the loss of property would be appalling, and if at ' night time, the loss of life would be con--1 siderable. A small expenditure at once would in all likelihood prevent a catastrophe. Mr Saunders attended personally and 1 pointed out to the Board the extreme probability there was of the river breaking through dnring the next flood and ' the consequent loss of property, stock 1 and probably life too. He thought the Board should immediately take steps to remedy the evil, and urged upon the Board the necessity of going to work at once. The Chairman stated that Mr Saunders, jun., had .stated that he believed he could collect a sum from the settlers interested and it was thought the Board should subsidise the amount £ for £. Personally be was in favor of creating a special rating district to deal with the matter. He was quite of opinion that ths work was a vory urgent one and that steps should immediately be taken to prevent a possible overflow of the riverMr Saunders remarked that if tbe river broke over where it was now making, tbe river at Awahuri would be dry and a fresh course would be cut out through the Kairanga. Mr Saunders said a bridge would have to be built near Hobkina' or Satherley's properties on tbe Rangitikei Line. It was resolved, That the Board will grant to the settlers represented by Mr Saunders, one half of the cost of the protective works at Kai Iwi, the said half not exceeding £50, on condition tbat the work is carried out by tbe setters themselves, and a similar amount expended by them, the Board taking no responsibility. — Standard.