RIVER IMPROVEMENT COSTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4390, 15 March 1922, Page 1

RIVER IMPROVEMENT COSTS.

Sir,—The recent Commission re the above br, ought forth some huge figures of estimated ultimate costs. But tihe total estimated “on paper” of £625,000 may be radically altered before long. There was one item of construction work mentioned; namely, right bank of Waihou between Mangaiti and Tirohia, costing some £69,000, that will more than likely never be a charge against the £625,000. Then minor alterations may clip some £20,000 to £30,000 off this later total, leaving a nett cost of l perhaps £520,000, which will make a very material difference to the aspect of the River Scheme frpm a Treasury point of view. There is one extremely important item in the recent Commission’s report that should be thoroughly comprehended by all the contributing local bodies to the River Improvements Scheme. That is the large area of Crown and Thames Borough lands that are to reap immense benefits from the scheme. Roughly, the Crown lands are some 27,000 acres, and the Thames. Borough some 3000 acres; total, 30,000 acres.. I am not aware of the precise location of these blb'cks, but they are in the Awaiti area. And if they approximate in quality tp the present! settlements at’ Awaiti, then the future value of these blocks, when drained and protected, will be simply enormous. I believe the original cost of these blocks to the Crown was merely nominal; and their selling value wiil be many pounds per acre shortly. .In (fact, judging by the prices asked and received by the Crbwn for sections ’at Orongo.near Thamest, and other blocks on the lower Waihou recently sold by the Lands Department, the value of the Awaiti blocks, now being protected by the- stopbanks on the Waihou, may run as high as £4O per acre. But even halving this estimate, and putting the selling or leasing value at £2O per acre when same are put on the market, then we have the enormous total of some £600,000, practically all of which will represent clear profit to the Lands Department. I therefore suggest that an early and up-to-date valuation be obtained of these blocks, to find how much they may rightfully be loaded with for increased values due to river improvements and protection. It may be possible that these lands would easily carry £lO per acre as an improvement valuation, and this could then be credited to the whole costs qf the River Improvement Scheme, Rhus bringing the total costs tp ,be carried by the other contributing bodies to a mere £220,000., I am sure this aspect, is only a fair and reasonable one, and deserves very serious consideration, and is one that I trust the Thames Valley Drainage Reference Board will, make a first-hand investigation of. W. D. KEYS, Secretary, Tirohia, Rotokohu, and Pereniki Ratepayers’ Assn.