ROTOKOHU AREA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4405, 24 April 1922, Page 2

ROTOKOHU AREA.

PETITIONS TO MINISTER. COMPREHENSIVE PETITIONS. The following petitions are being submitted to the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) by the Rotokohu Ratepayers’ Association by the secretary, Mr W. D. Keys : Stop-bank.—That the left bank of ths Ohinemuri River from Mackaytown to the Puke be at. once ’topbanked. : Pereniki Area.—That the Pereniki cut be proceeded with ; that failing the cut, stop -banks be erected; that failing either, the settlers of this area be compensated, and their land be resumed for a flooding basin. This last also applies to the settlers on the right bank ofj the Ohinemuri River above Paeroa. Rotokohu Drain, —That the main drain of this area be ,at once proceeded with. The dredge previously on this work has been lyinif at the Puke, being overhauled, for several months, and we beg that it be at once put back to complete this vitally essential drain. Damaged—That the petitions of certain settlers in our area for a compassionate allowance as partial sett-off of ruinous losses be granted, as failing some assistance certain settlers will be unable to continue farming. These, Sir, are our requests in Concrete form. With your permission I will endeavour to adduce evidence of the supreme necessity of these proposals being at once proceeded with'. ; ' STOP-BANK. Stop bank on left bank of Ohinemuri River, from Mackaytowp to the Ppke. The necessity of this is so obvious that it need not be dealt with at length. But, briefly, the immediate results will be: ' (1.) Protection of an area of. land estimated to contain -between seven and eight thousand acres, most of which is the equal in quality of any land in New Zealand. .' ■' i (2.) This work will definitely protect the railway, which is periodical-; ly washed away for hundreds of yards when big floods occur. (3.) When'protected, .this land will becnire Hable for contributory costs or rates under the Rivers Improvement Scheme, and will thus help to make the scheme largely self-support-ing. (4.) Without protection, -this largo area’ will gradually be ruined., along with i-ome forty or fifty settlers, the causes of ruin being, silt, water tlog- 1 ged land, precluding any further working of same, destruction of splendid grass areas. - - '• Lastly, every flood plants immense numbers of noxiou-s Weeds, such as gorse blackberry, and fescue, thus making the holding of such land a continual menace. , ROTOKOHU MAIN DRAIN. That this Association protests against the present unsatisfactory condition of the Rotokohu drain. In previous days the settlers q? this area were ready to provide, for this drain themselves, under a drainage board scheme. The Public Works Department arbitrarily took this scheme out of the hands of the settlers, and after many years have completed only half the drain, thereby preventing development and production over a very large area. Wi therefore beg that this drain be at once proceeded with, and that the dredge formerly engaged on this drainr—but now for several months being overhauled at the Puke—be at once put back on the drain; and, further, that ; the upper part of the drain above the railway line be at once proceeded with. In general, Sir,-we may state in connection with this drain that it is a vital part of. all the scheme to protect our area, and without this drain the stop banks will be useless. The immediate.extension qf this drain from the railway line towards Rotokohu East will be of great importance ip protecting the railway. The settlers also wish to stress the fact that as the present drain is entirely different to the former settlers’ schema as drawn up by thsir engineer, they feel they are entitled to consideration. DAMAGES. That this Association Of settlers do beg and pray that immediate relief be granted as to damages and serjous'' josses by settlers in recent floods. Individual estimates of these damages have already been forwarded to the Minister. In- particular, we wish to sj£2ss the special claims of certain of. our settlers for relief and assistance, inasmuch as large areas of winter crops of fodder have been lost, and in parts large areas of newlysown and old grass paddocks have been completely killed, necessita-ting re-sowing. As many a" these settlers have. not the money, after all their losses, t.o even buy fresh, grass seed, without ’early help their farms and themselves will be ruined. Under this heading we quote the unanimous recommendation of the authoritative 1910 Rivers Commission, page XXIX (A). • ’ ’ “As to affected lands, that a survey be promptly made, of the lands affected by recent flooding; that, as the results of such survey a stipendiary magistrate be authorised to fix the amounts of compassionate allowances to be awarded for total or partial loss of land and of stock and income therefrom.” VZe feel sure our ca-se is the earns as, or worse than, theft ot the settlers Who were helped in 1910 ; in fact, ;t, cannot be contradicted that the present incomplete river works of the Public Works Department have largely increased our losses in all ways. We therefore trust, Sir, to have your favourable consideration of this last request and petition.