THE OPAWA BREACH.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 125, 11 July 1868, Page 4

THE OPAWA BREACH.

A Meeting of the committee appointed by the late public meeting, was held yesterday, when a draft petition was considered, praying the General Government to introduce a measure giving rating powers for the purpose of dealing with this alarming and gigantic evil. The document, which we give below, will be submitted to a public meeting to be held in the Provincial Hall on Wednesday next at noon. The principle, that of levying a rate ; and the object, the preservation of both town and country, are so important, that we scarcely need to urge a strong muster of settlers from all parts of the district. In our correspondence column will be found two important letters on this subject. The following is the memorial;—

To His Excellency Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Knight Grand Cross of the West Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor and Comtnander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty’s Colony of New Zealand and its dependencies, and Vice-Ad-miral of the saine. The Petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the Wairau Plain, in the Province of Marlborough, in the said Colony, Humbly Shewcth, — That your petitioners are owners and occupiers of land in the Wairau district, engaged in various industrial pursuits. That the lower portion of the Wairau Plain contains about sixty thousand acres of agricultural land.

That the richest portion of this land is situated in the delta of the Wairau Diver, bounded on the North by the River Wairau ; on the South by the River Opawa, which diverges from the Wairau at about 16 miles from the sea. That the channel of the River Wairau is of sufficient width and depth to contain the river at ordinary times, and in ordinary freshes, although it overflows its banks occasionally in extreme floods, such as occur frequently in winter. That on the other hand the channel of the Opawa, although of sufficient capacity to afford considerable relief in carrying off the waters of the Wairau in extreme floods is so much narrower than that of the Wairau, as to be quite unsuited for a permanent river channel, as it is liable to overflow its banks from a slight accession of water in ordinary freshes, such as would but make little impression in the Wairau River. That during the last few years the deep channels of the river have become so altered by the gradual rising of the shingle, that the main body of water now flows down the Opawa channel at ordinary times, leaving the Wairau channel dry, and that the least fresh in the parent river is sufficient to cause the Opawa channel to overflow its banks for several miles, inundating large portions of the richest land, through an area of about 28,000 acres, including the Town of Blenheim.

That the river being liable to such freshes at any time throughout the year, the inundations caused thereby prevent the growing of all crops, besides doing considerable damage to pasture lands, and very materially injuring many miles of road throughout the district.

That your petitioners are satisfied that, by protective works carefully maintained, the deep channels of the Opawa River at its head may be so far closed as to prevent material injury from frequent and slight freshes, at an expense completely justified by the large benefits which would accrue therefrom to the whole district in question. That your petitioners are willing to be rated for the purpose of such works as aforesaid. That in the year 1863, the Superintendent and Provincial Council of the province passed an Act, intituled “An Act to provide means for the erection of works at the Opawa Breach,” but which said Act has been inoperative, and which your petitioners believe to be unsuited to the province, while at the same time it is matter of doubt whether it is competent for the Superintendent and Provincial Council to grant some of the powers in the said Act contained, and for the purposes of the Act required. Your petitioners are of opinion that it is necessary that the owners and occupiers of land interested should be authorised by an Act of the General Assembly to appoint a Board of Commissioners, entrusted with powers enabling them to construct such protective or other works as may be expedient for the purpose of preventing, the injuries arising from the overflow of the Wairau River, and to levy such rates upon the lands and other property as may be necessary ji a id also to raise loans on security of such rates ;

That for the purpose of raising the necessary ; funds, your petitioners are of opinion that affi acreage rate should be levied upon the country, lands, with the boundaries set forth in thc| annexed schedule, not exceeding one shilling! per acre in any one year; and upon the town; lands within the boundaries set forth in schedule, I a rate not exceeding in any one year the sum of ; twelve shillings and sixpence for every one; hundred pounds worth of real property. And your petitioners pray that your Excel- \ lency will be pleased to cause to be introduced into the General Assembly a Bill for the purposes aforesaid. ■ And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray,'&c., &c.