RIVER AND RAILWAY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 65, 17 January 1908, Page 2

RIVER AND RAILWAY.

THE question gf straightening the Mangaokewa and Mangapu rivers, which has beer* referred to on several occasions in these columns, should claim some attention at the next sitting of the Waitomo County Council, and it is to be hoped representations will be made to the proper quarters with a view to having the matter attended to. Recognition of the urgency of dealing with the choked streams has already been given by the Government, and a start has been made to destroy the willows on the banks of the Mangapu. However, as has been pointed out, there are several portions of both streams which can be better dealt with by cutting new channels across narrow necks, thus doing away with long wil-low-choked bends, and making a much shorter and straighter channel with a greatly increased fall. The advantages of straightening even a few of the bends of the streams are manifold, and with a sound scheme to la'y before the authorities'there is no reason why the course suggested should not be adopted. Every day brings the completion of the Main Trunk line nearer, and every day also renders the rivers more liable to flood. A very moderate rainfall at present swells the streams to an alarming extent, and last year we had the experience of having the railway between Te Kuiti andDtorohanga blocked on two occasions for several days. It takes very little imagination to realise what the effect would have been had the Wellington-Auckland express train been running. Our Hangatiki correspondent, in last week's issue, outlined a workable and economical method of dealing with the river in that locality, and doubtless a similar method could be applied to other portions of the rivers. The work is undoubtedly a national one, as it embraces the keeping open of the chief line of the North Island, and, in a sense, is of as much importance as the work of connecting the railheads. In any case, unless the Government wish to lay themselves open to charges of gross neglect, active steps will have to be taken immediately. The stoppage of the Main Trunk line express of the future will mean the disorganising of business throughout the Dominion, and the probable loss to the country of many times the value of the work necessary to obviate such a deplorable incident. It is to be hoped the, Council will moye in the matter, and make urgent representations to the proper authorities.