TIDE OVER BANK

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3286, 9 July 1943, Page 5

TIDE OVER BANK

’TROUBLE NEAR PIPIROA

WATER OVER FARMLAND BANK IN A WEAKENED STATE to - A high tide which recently topped and flowed down the stopbank flooding the surrounding land practically from Pipiroa to Ngatea, caused considerable concern to settlers in that area and at Wednesday’s meeting of the Hauraki Plains West Drainage Board the question of what steps could be taken to provide protection was discussed. The chairman, Mr C. W. Parfitt, said that recently a high tide had come over the bank all the way from Pipiroa to Ngatea and had weakened the bank decidedly. Some of the settlers were very concerned but it would not pay to put hand labour to do the job. He suggested that a mobile dredge be employed to carry out temporary repairs until the job could be done permanently. A machine was available but the Lands Department at ■Kerepeehi lacked a driver. He had made enquiries and thought he might be able to get a suitable man. Give Some Protection All that could be done was to top up the banks to give the settlers some protection. Mr A. Douglas urged that the job be done permanently while the board was on the job. Mr Parfitt explained that it was a question of finance. The board had not the money to do the job while they were building the bank on the foreshore and'then the Government would have to be asked for additional subsidies. Others spoke in favour of doing a permanent job if possible and the chairman agreed that it would be desirable to do a permanent job if finance could be arranged. Continuing, Mr Parfitt said he fully appreciated the seriousness of the position, giving instances of where the water more than covered the bank. By carrying out temporary repairs /protection could be given at once while permanent repairs would take too long and settlers would lack protection for a number of months and ■considerable damage might be done before the bank was reconstructed. The matter was left. in the hands of the chairman to make the best arrangement possible as soon as possible.