RIVER EROSION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3777, 14 November 1907, Page 3

RIVER EROSION.

Deputation to the Minister for Marine. Mr Stevens, M.H.R., accompanied by Mr Wood, M.H R., intropuced Messrs Frauklar.d, R. Moore, Riramer, Rough, Hennessy, to the Minister for Marine, on the Bth inst. Also present: Revs. Aitken and Patterson and Mr McKerrow.

Mr Stevens said the object of the deputation was for the purpose of asking Mr Millar, in his capacity of Minister for Marine, if he could see his way to render substantial assistance in improving the port of Foxton, and preventing the silting up of the river which was caused through erosion below the railway wharf. Floods of late had been very high, and through denudation of forests in back country occurred twice as often now as a few years ago. At one one particular part in the river the bank, which formerly was a-quarter of a mile from the Lady’s Mile (road) which leads to the Pilot Station at the Marine Reserve, was now only a couple of chains distant from that road. Even when there were no floods the wash of the steamers plying to and fro on the river was continually washing away the soft soil of the high river bank which was carried a few chains down the river and then deposited, thus causing the shallows, and consequently steamers were in the habit of being stuck in the channel for days together. The proposal of the deputation was that the persons owning land near the river would provide one-third of the cost of protecting the land and also preventing the river from being silted up by sand if the Government could see its way to give £2 for £1 in order to prevent any further damage to both land and river. The expenditure was warranted in the fullest degree. He was not only speaking for Foxton for the purpose of advocating the claim of 1400 people, but Foxton was destined to become the most important port on the coast, more so even than Wanganui, for it

must eventually be the port for the i whole of the coast from Turakina down, for the reason that the carrying of goods and merchandise up the Wangaehu and Turakina hills would be far more difficult and expensive than forwarding direct to Foxton. We have in the back such important towns as Feilding, Palmerston North, Bulls, Greatford, Marton, Woodville, Dannevirke, and consequently any expenditure which was made would not be for the mere purpose of satisfying a little petty fogging local requirement. In his opinion, and in the opinion of the deputation, the first essential was for a sum of money to be expended to prevent erosion at the end of the willow embankment on the west side of the railway wharf and to continue it down the river to prevent further erosion and choking of the river. Where there were erosions in other parts of the river they were spread over a greater distance than at this particular spot, and therefore did not cause the same damage. Owing to the small scour in the Manawatu river the channel would not be benefited by the present scheme of scratching the bottom with a marine harrow. Some proper dredging would have Jto be done and a proper dredge p established. What was being- done at present for the purpose of deepening the channel and keeping it clear was not nearly sufficient in the face of the hundreds of tons ot stuff that comes down. He mentioned that several steamers had been stuck in the river for over 48 hours and had therefore missed two tides. He and the deputation did not expect an offhand promise from the department, but wished to have a report made out by their engineer as to what the cost of properly protecting the bank spoken of would be, and the preventing of any erosion at that spot. When the best means of procedure had been ascertained and the Government had made a full and complete report, they would then have something to go on. There were other gentlemen present representing different interests \ and also Mr Wood, M.H.R. for \ Palmerston North, who would 1 support what he had said with respect to this matter. The general impression in matters of this kind was that some particular expenditure was required for some particular locality, but in this case that was not so, as other localities were equally interested in this important question. He concluded by mentioning several persons present who could further explain the matter to the Minister. Mr Wood, M.H.R. for Palmerston, said that he had not been aware until that morning of the intention of the deputation or he would have come armed with statistics to help them in their object. He was there in the interests of his own constituents of Palmerston North, and not merely to help Mr Stevens. It boats could be induced to come regularly to foxton, all eoods and mer-

chandise for the Palmerston district would come in and go out by Foxton, as the present railway • freight was prohibitive. Therefore, he was quite sure the Palmerston people would not object to a small tax being put on them in order to help in attaining their object. In fact, the whole coast from Wangaehu down would be greatly benefited, as well as Foxton and the surrounding district. He would be pleased to put this matter before the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce at its next meeting and give it his support. That Chamber had already passed a resolution that something should be done to better the port of Foxton. He hoped that they would meet with success in the near future with regard to this matter. Mr F. W. Frsnkland, in supporting Messrs Stevens’ and Woods’ remarks, wished to direct the Minister’s attention particularly to the state of the land between the river and the road known as the Lady’s Mile, as a matter which required remedying in the near future. During the last month or so quite half-an-acre of land had been washed away and there was now only a distance of about two chains between the river and the Lady’s Mile. He remembered that thirty-two years ago there was fully a distance of a quarter of a mile separating these two points. This was a matter quite apart from the great inconvenience which was being caused to navigation. For instance, one vessel has been stuck aground in the river at this point for a full week.

Mr Hennessy corroborated generally the previous speakers’ remarks, and mentioned that he was in a position to know something about the matter, he being a shipping representative in Foxton of a Wanganui shipping firm. He had been resident in Foxton for thirty years, and was intimate with the river and its peculiarities.

Rev. Mr Aitken said a few words on behalf of the deputation, and gave what he thought was a very good illustration of the rapid erosion taking place in the river. Just six months ago he had noticed a high bank which stood about twenty feet above the water. That bank was now nine feet below the surface of the water. Mr Moore said that the matter in question was more than of local importance. The erosion in recent years had been much more rapid than formerly and floods more frequent owing to denudation. The road to the Heads was in immediate danger and in a short time their means of getting there would be cut off, at the present rate. He had never seen so many boats stuck in the Manawatu River as had been the case during the last few weeks. Boats getting stuck in the river also contributed to the wearing away of the high banks by their wash in their attempts to get off. Foxton was and would be a very important port and if its prospects were to be secured it was imperative that something should be done to keep the channel of the river open. He desired to have a reliable report furnished as suggested by those speaking before him and then something could be done to prevent the erosion, and bettering the present state of affairs. Mr McKerrow on behalf of himself and the Rev. Patterson as Trustees of the Presbyterian Church, wished to corroborate strongly what had been said by the previous speakers and thought that in the interests of all something should be done as suggested to better the present state of affairs. The Hon. Mr Millar, in replying said he was pleased to talk the matter over with the deputation and stated that the navigation of the river had been under his consideration for some time. At the present time he found there were only two points at which silting up had taken place and banks been formed. With the exception of these two points the average depth from the heads to the wharf was 14 feet of water and he had had a marine harrow sent up to remove these sand banks. Mr Stevens had said that the marine harrow was not sufficient for clearing the channel but as against that statement Mr Aitken had told him that where there had been a bank 20 feet high this was now covered by water to a depth of 9 feet, and therefore the scour of the river must be capable of carrying any lose sand, etc. away. It was utterly impossible for the Marine Department to undertake to stop all erosion all the way up the Manawatu river. After pointing out that he was called upon to find money for matters of this kind with respect to the many other rivers in the Dominion and which was practically impossible out of the small amount voted to the Marine Depaatment by Parliament year by year, he said that he realised that Foxton had become an important port, and he would as soon as possible get an engineer to go up and inspect the

particular damage referred to, and see if the desired work could be done at a reasonable cost. He thought it was advisable for the people of Foxton to form themselves into a harbour board and take rating powers over a special area, and thus borrow money to enable them to improve and work their own harbour. At present there was little possibility of the Marine Department helping them. The total expenditure on the Kstimates for this year for this class of work was £SOOO. He thought that rivers were really of the same importance as roads to the people of the country, and should receive the same consideration, but people would not recognise this fact. He could easily do with ,£50,000 instead of the small sura of ,£SOOO voted. Another small difficulty was that the Marine Department had no engineer and he would have to borrow one from the Public Works Department. He would, however, obtain one as soon as possible, and get a report and an estimate of the cost. If the cost ran into a large sum he could not hold out any hopes to the deputation. If they were prepared, as they had suggested, to advance a certain sum of money, he would see his colleagues and attempt to obtain a subsidy for them. He always believed in helping those who tried to help themselves. There was no doubt about the necessity of their having a workable harbour, Mr Stevens thanked the Minister on behalf of the deputation, which then withdrew.