Draining The Lake.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 August 1918, Page 4

Draining The Lake.

i ) (Continued from page 3.) | b/3st remedy tor the abnormal ; height to which the water rose in ' the wet season of the year—whether it-was by cleaning the outlet only or the outlet and the stream I both, and whether the cleaning out should take place frequently during the year. Complaint was made that the residents could not reach the Lake for boating and also that the land round the Lake I was not being drained as it should i owing to the height of water. He | asked members to discuss the j matter with a view to finding a solution of the problem!. Some discussion arose as to the Board's powers in relation to tlio Hokio stream, and the dual control of the Board and County County Council. Mr B. R. Gardener, the secretary, produced the Act and explained how the arrangement was arrived at. He said there was no doubt that the Board and County Council could clean out the stream, and the opinion of Sir Francis Bell \vas quoted in support. Tha powers of a drainage board under the Land Drainage Act were vested in the Board and however distasteful it might be to people who claimed they owned the Lake, the Board could usis those powers. Mr Paki said he understood ) quite plainly about the Lake. When the Act was made no water race ran into it and these water races had since been put into it. Besides in June and July there was a lot of rain. The water was now going down and would soon be at its proper level. The only way was to keep cleaning the channel leading to the outlet into stream. Some time ago he noticed 3ft. Gin. of silt there. The thing to discuss was whether they would clear the channel out three or four times a year. He also suggested a Watergate at the Ohau river as another aid in regulating the water. Mr Broadbelt: If we are running - extra water in surely we have the right to run it out. Sir Francis Bell gave us to understand that if a normal level was agreed to by all parties the water could be kept at that level. Mr Dempsey considered that if th© outfall from the Lake to the stream was cleaned several times a year it would let the water away sufficiently and avoid the cost of locks and weirs in the stream. Mr Broadbelt: Would not the land that would be improved by these works have to bear the cost? Mr J. Brougliton said when the channel was cleared out before, it was not done far enough and if a chain or a chain and a half on the north side was cleared out- it would be sufficient. [ Mr France questioned whether I they could do anything else than go on as they had been doing. A npw scheme meant raising money and the present was not a good time for public works. Was it within the Board's powers to put in locks? The time had now arrived when the land would be dry for eight or nine months and the Lake was going down very quick-

!y- - , , Mr Parker said the water was not at- a reasonable level at the I present time. If any member of ' the Board owned land on the shores of th'.? Luke he would not be satisfied. At tjhe same time the Lake must not be lowered too much. A conference might be held between the Board, the Councillors for the riding and the Engineer. They could make an absolute agreement upon a normal level. His chief complaint was that the public could uot approach the Lake because of the way the water had encroached. Mr Paki had no sympathy with the land owners. He said when Hanita owned land on the shores of the Lake it was always flooded. Hanita sold it for the priqs of laiu\ under water—£lo 15s per acre. The purchaser, a pakeha, then worried the life out of the County Council until they drained the land. "I think the land-owner should be satisfied," he added. "They should give a lot of good word for the County Council to send the Engineer and clean out the cliann?! at their

own expense." Mr Parker, said liis chief complaint was thai the public could not get <lo\Vn to the Lake lis tliey were entitled to do. Mr Broadbelt asked the native members what their ■objection to the lock was. Mv I'aki snid that in December the eels went to the salt water to spawn and t-bc young eels came lip when the whitebait came. TTiey could not get over the gate and the eel fisheries would suffer. Mr France said the spawning habits of the eel had only lately been discovered. It was a wellknown fact, however, that the young eels or elvers would climb over any obstacle on their return —anything wet, ievcn up tlie edges of a waterfall. If the natives could, be got to understand that, their difficulties would b>3 removed. Mr D<-mnsey moved that it be a recommendation to th>? County Council that when the time is opportune a wid'-u 1 channel at the outlet of the Lake into the Hokio stream be cleared. The motion was s?iconded by Mr Bruughtou and canned. Members expressed tlie opinion that Ihc result would he io l?t- the water away better and it could then be seen, whether the cleaning of the stream would be necessary.