Our River.

Manawatu Herald, 7 March 1903, Page 2

Our River.

Owing to some erroneous opinions being abroad as,to the suitability of the Manawatu river for regular traders at all times of the month, many inquiries have been made, both from the Pilot and captains of steamers’'.trading... here, and their answers place the river in a far better position than many thought for. As the river is one of our most important lines of communication we are pleased to give the result of Mr Seabury’s (the pilot) interview. The average depth of water on the bar, Mr Seabury states to bo nine feet six inches ; the average depth at neap tide a foot less; the average depth at spring tide, eleven feet; the average depth of water on the bar at half-tide to be eight feet six inches. He declares the steamers have rarely been prevented from entering the river, but he could not say how often boats have been prevented from going out of the river, but they are of course occasionally prevented. In fine weather he was of opinion that lightering Could be done over the bar with a boat drawing an average of five feet. As Mr Seabury has been the pilot at the Heads for the past 31 years, his report is very satisfactory.