The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 7 1927. RIVER EROSION.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 7 1927. RIVER EROSION.

A meeting of local body representatives was field at Itoefton last week at the invitation of the Duller County Council to consider the matter of river erosion. Murchison, Duller and Innngaliua Counties were represented, Grey and Westland failing to send representatives. It is understood the latter did not act in the matter because of the liability imposed on the local bodies attempting to undertake the task of river erosion in any district. A general discussion followed, and it was resolved that the Government bo asked to appoint a committee of members of Parliament to take evidence at Wellington from the counties in New Zealand with the idea of devising some means of protecting the land and roads in Now Zealand from river erosion. Further it was decided to send copies of the resolution to men .hers of Parliament for the West Coast and the various local bodies. And finally, it was resolved that as soon as the information sought from the Government was available a conference be called to which the Commissioners of Crown Lands at Nelson and Hokitika, the President of the Farmers’ Union, and the Public Works Engineer lie invited. Hie Conference was responsible merely for bald preliminary work, which was as far as it could go in all the circumstances. It was a very wise move to seek the aid of a Parliamentary Committee, for in reality any large movement in the direction required can come only from that quarter. The matter of dealing with river erosion so general throughout the Dominion, is quite beyond the resources of local bodies, which have so many calls already on their rating revenue. The statutes provide of course for River Boards which have powers of control, involving protection, but here again the question of local rating crops up, and the same group of ratepayers have to foot the bill as those who meet local County obligations. In point of fact, river erosion is a. national liability as it is a national problem. The course of some rivers pass through several local districts, and it would ho unfair to saddle the cost of protective control on any one section only. The evolutionary work going on by nature is wearing the hills down gradually, and in the course of time the spoil is finding its way into the rivers, and down to the flats and so on to the ocean mouth. But the progress is slow, and often involves considerable damage by the way. Slips occur in conjunction with high floods, and then heavy damage is done. More debris is brought along than the channel can carry, and banks are scoured, or streams find fresh courses. It is in

these extraordinary visitations that engineering ca.n do so little to meet the emergencv. There is the case in mind of the Mississippi, when man made ■works created for protection had to be broken to meet the new set of circumstances created bv the flood waters. In New Zealand there are many rivers with varying moods in flood time. Our own streams are swift in flood, and as quick in destruction. In Canterbury and other quarters where lengthy plain lands have to be traversed, the swollen rivers are slower, and waters back up and inundate the country, often doing very serious damage. Control in either case will be difficult and costly, whether for sudden emergency or to cope with pent up water. And engineers differ in their ideas and methods. So we have a serious pro.

blem which i.s beyond local resources, and .should be dealt with in a. national nay. The Conference at Rccfton aims at; removing tho subject from the local body table to the House of Itepresent." ti res where ways and means are more general than in isolated localities. To that extent tho Conference lias moved wisely, but it remains to be seen if the Government will accept the liability it is proposed to thrust on them.