Waikato River Board.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 16 April 1915, Page 3

Waikato River Board.

ANNUAL VISIT OF INSPECTION TO WORKS.

The Waikato River Board, "with others interested, paid a visit of inspection to the Drainage Works in progress near the mouth of the Waikato River on Wednesday last. The “ Freetrader” had been engaged for the trip, and at 10.30 a.m., half an hour late, the steamer cast off End commenced the trip down the River, having on board, besides the members of the Board about fifty other interested persons, chief amorg whom were R. F. Bollard M.P., Thompson and Kennedy. Engineers tor the Government and River Board respectively, the Chairmen of the Raglan and Franklin Counties (Messrs Johnson and Flanagan), Mr Hall Skelton, solicitor to the Board, representatives from various parts of the District, and Press representatives.

The day being fine, the trip down the River was very pleasant and especially to those who were making their first trip, most interesting. The country immediately below Mercer does not strike one as being particularly good, although Irom a tourist point of view, most striking, but after Tuakau is passed, a change takes place, and long stretches of richlooking swamp land alternate with fertile hills covered with grass, fern and picturesque bits of bush.

Even to the lay mind, it is evident that the low-lying rich swamps lands past which one glides for such long stretches, must enormously increase in value if only the outfall can be lowered, and the benefit to navigation which is likely to accrue is apparent to those who observed what a tortuous course the steamer had to take in descending the River, a course rendered necessary by many sand banks, which, it is claimed, would be done away with under a proper sybtem of drainage. At 1.45 the party was landed at Kaitangata, beyond which point, large steamers can not go except at high water, and here a pause was made while the wants of the inner men were satisfied. The party was then transhipped into launches, and were taken down to inspect the groynes which had already been completed, and to see what had been the effect of the construction of these training walls. In conversation with representatives of the River Board, our representative gathered that about miles of willow groynes, had been completed, use having been made of the numerous islands at the mouth of the river to lessen the length Af training wall necessary. TNe work, which commenced at at Kaitangata, has now reached below Pakau, with the exception that there remains a bar of sand to be shifted at Pakau, and there remains only a further two miles of piling to carry the work into deep water at Maiora Bay. T e work to be done in this locality, now consists of close piling, the willow groynes being of no use, owing to the willows refusing to take root in salt water. There is also the sand bar at Pakau to be shifted, and this is being done by first cutting up the bottom with a disc-harrow drawn by a launch

and then harrowing with a tine . harrow drawn by the same means. Owing to the want of water except at high tides, this work can only be carried on for a few hours at a time each day but despite this, it is said that a fair amount of success is attending the Board’s efforts. It is altogether too . soon to advance a decided opinion as to the ultimate effect of the scheme from a drainage point of view, but the benefit to navigation is already most pronounced, the river having been considerably deepened bv the scour caused by 4 the Board’s operations. As to finance, the Board has had rather a troublous time, but the chairman is now in the happy position ot being able to say that the horizon . is quite clear for a considerable time to come. In the early days of the Board’s existence, they worked on a grant of £2OOO from the Government, and since then then they have received a fur£2so, while their system of rating has also brought -in a little grist to the mill. They have now raised a loan of £6OOO, a little more than half of which is still unspent. The full scheme under which the Board is working contemplates the deepening or the River up as far a Huntly, and to complete this, a cosiderablo quantity of money is required. It is believed, however, that the money at present in hand will carry the work up to Mercer. On the return, trip of the launches, they each got stuck ; and owing to the lowness of the , tide, it was with some diffiwe got clear. How- ™ ever, the Freetrader was at last

reached, and the return trip up the river commenced at 4.30 p.m. and we arrived alongside Mercer wharf at 8.10, after a most enjoyable and instructive trip. Immediately on arrival the party gathered at the King Edward Memorial Hall, where a most sumptuous banquet had been spread. *

The chairciflm of the Board, Mr A. G. C. GIA ss, presided, and was by the two engineers, and the two County Chairmen. Numerous toasts were honoured, and the Board’s Engineer, (Mr Kennedy) gave a most lucid description of the principles on which they were working in their endeavours to improve the river. He pointed out that it was too early get to expect decisive results, and warned his hearers against looking for the impossible, hut at the same time he gave them every reason to hope that the money spent would not .be wasted.

In response to the toast of “Our boys at the Front,” Mr Hall Skelton, who takes a deep interest in the Belgian Relief Fund, made a most impassioned speech, in which he paid a splendid tribute to the soldiers of the allied nations, especially dwelling on the bravery and dash of the Irish and Scotch soldiers.

A most interesting and convivial evening was concluded by the singing of “ Auld Lang Syne ” and God Save the King.” A special tribute is due to the caterer, the banquet being such as would do credit to any town in the North Island.