Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, SEPT. 25, 1894. A River Board.

Manawatu Herald, 25 September 1894, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, SEPT. 25, 1894. A River Board.

The work that has been so success- j fully carried out on the Motoa estate in embanking out the flood waters of the Manawatu* river point to the practicability of further extending such, work so as to embrace the whole of the land liable to flood up to the boundary near the town. The last flood in the river proves the necessity of a controlling power over such lands, as at Moutoa the water rose over the river bank but was kept in check by the artificial embankment, but just below the point where the Motoa estate embankment finishes, aboye the Wirokino ferry, the water came over the river bank, and at the outlet to the Main drain near the township, the flood water poured freely over the land and into the Main drain causing thereby the curious spectacle of the drain carrying the water into, instead of out of, the swamp. It will be thus seen the advantages of embankment of part of the swamp land is much reduced until the whole is enclosed, arid to effectually and economically carry out such a scheme a Board with legal authority is much needed. Id .1884 an Act was passed entitled Tho River Boardn Aot and JU uppeara to be ft most wstltal meniran ftrul on«

which the landowners of this lowlying land would do well to take advantage of> as Clause 74 plttces all rivers atitt Watercourses comprised within a Board district under its control "as far as may be requisite for tho construction or maintenance of an,y works necessary to prevent or lessen any damage which may be occassioned by the overflow or the breaking of the banks of the same." We may remark that though the embankment is hot a very costly matter yet there are lands so situated and owned by th 6 one person which would all need to be etiioanked which would have the effect of improving the properties of owners whose lands do not actually abut upon the river, and though the owner of such lands would be benefited there appears no reason why others benefited should not bear a iair proportion of the cost. A private agreement could be /made, it "may be argued, but in practise the difficulty of securing the due fulfilment of the Conditions of an agreement by the future purchaser of lands interested has beetl found, out before to clay, and has had the eftocfc of causing the owners to bear the ills they have to incurring expense and flying to the evils they know not of. All work done by the machinery and authority of a Board avoids all these liabilities and enables work to be carried out in a comprehensive manner and at a fair cost to all concerned. The Board has also power to borrow money on its own security and thus enables the district to secure the immediate advantage of improvements done giving easy time to settlers to repay the cost.

If, as it is asserted it is, practicable to effectually stop the overflow of the flood waters of the Manawatu river over the whole of the Motoa swamp, the importance cannot be over estimated, as lands now, which for .three to four months in the year are a source of anxiety to owners, and during which time the feed is subject to getting wholly rotted, would be safe and of greater value tha whole year through. The town is likewise interested as the Main road would be always passable, and would be kept in better repair at a less cost. Under these circumstances we are glad to learn that an effort will bo made to secure the support of those interested in the area to sign a petition to the Governor praying him to constitute such distiicb a Drainage Board.