Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1889. THE RIVER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 279, 6 August 1889, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1889. THE RIVER.

. ■■■■ — — +_: -—. It is at times well to admit when , a project appear* impossible of nttainraent, and we must . view the] scheme t. r improving the bar as one, as it has certainly been estimated at a larger sum than we are likily to obtain for th-it purpose Wf inusfc therefore cou^t-atuiute oursi-Uvs *, iat the entrance to the rivw • i-i^s so good m it is. We h<ve Uowerer ,

brought under publio notice {kit sonsiderable improvements might be effected in the liver itself, which would very much improve it, and woivd cost but a comparatively email sum. Some two sessions ago our member secured the placing of two hundred and fifty .pounds on the estimates for the snagging of the river. Instructions were given to the then district engineer to have the work carried out, but for some unexplained- reason he" iie'ver' did any thing in that direction. We hafe at times suggested tfHat this district has suffered by the management of this official, and this is only ;iii instance in point. In all probability the application for the expen diture of this sum will be met with the declaration that the time has elapsed, and that fresh application uucl urging will be necessary. Of course this is most unsatisfactory, the ratepayers after much trouble secure the sanction of Government to the expenditure of a sum of money for a much needed work, and then, one of their servantsis allowed to over-ride all, by neglecting it. Still the liver is so important a means of communication that if the worrying has again to be gone through, gone through it must be, as the river in the upper part must be snagged. Every ratepayer in the Awahou Riding and the Borough is pecuniarily interested in it, as every ton of traffic diverted off the roads and upon the river means pounds saved in the cost of their maintenance of the roads. Now that a launch is working the river, and doing good service to the hemp millers, by conveying the green flax, and coals to the mills, and bringing the dressed fibre to the port, it is manifestly a pity that her services should be debarred to a numb or of mills, because of the state the river is in, above the Shannon wharf. These few pounds, atmitted bejng a wise expenditure, even at a tim« when trade was less brisk, would now mean the practical opening up of th s portion of the river, and we trust steps will be taken by our leading men to obtain the reinstatement of this vote.