THE WAIHOU RIVER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4446, 28 July 1922, Page 2

THE WAIHOU RIVER.

FUTURE NAVIGATION A. MATTER FOR CONCERN. Members of the Te Aroha Chamber bf Commerce indulged in an informal talk on Tuesday even’ng on matters regarding the navigation of the Waihou River. The president (Mr. Kenrick) read a letter that had been for warded by the Northern Steamship Company's management to its agent at Te Aroha as a reply to a request made. The letter stated that the statistics of; the company showed the Quantify ofl cargo shipped on tlie Te Aroha service to Te Arpha for the year ended on March 31, 1922, was 5778 tons, and from this port 939 tons. The amount earned in freight, if based at the rate charged (22s 6d per ton) would be £7556 2s 6d. Mr. Coulter claimed that the attention deserved had not, been given to navigation works. If something was not done immediately there would come serious times. During tne month of June the steamer had encountered difficulties, through shallowness in places, to arrive at Te Aroha, an experience hitherto unknown during the winter months. This was due to the extensive drainage works being carried out lower down by the Public Works Department, and which resulted in the lowering of the water level. “Rightly enough, those works should be done,” said Mr. Coulter, "but let the Department protect pur interests as well. Le.t > see that the centre cf the rive ' is dredged, net the sides as it has been customary fcr it to up, because it was more convenient in the construction Of stop banks —the dredge had only to lift the debris and tranisfer it to the banks. But the damage this is doi.ng to the main waterway is apparent tb the layman, to say nothing of the Department’s ‘competent’ engineers. They were not dredging the natural channel —on the contrary rather damaging it. We should protest against this ; in fact. ] think we can claim damages thrpug'n the Law Courts as a result of the Department’s interference with a natural ’ wuteiway, for according to old English law this is illegal, and such, e ruling I don’t think has been altered, by the New Zealand Government: It is no use going about the thing half-heart-edly ; something must be done, anl we should endeavour to get the local business people, who are particularly concerned by the river, service, io kick up an unholy row until the Government takes the neecssary steps to improve matters.” Other members were in accord.