THE-RIVER COMMISSION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 438, 26 September 1908, Page 4

THE-RIVER COMMISSION.

The Foxton Sitting. [Continued from Thursday’s issue] After the luncheon adjournment on Thursday,Thomas Lind, settler, of Shannon, stated that he had been living in the district for about 30 years. He had a new scheme to propose, which was more feasible than any other. His proposal was to take the overflow from the river from Puketotara to the sea through the easiest portion of the country. The distance to the sea was about miles, and the fall about 28ft. It would be necessary to acquire some low-lying land between the Manawatu and Rangitikei Rivers, on which the spoil would be deposited. The land at present was only worth about 4s per acre, but with the deposit of silt would increase considerably in value. He would not allow the Oroua to go into the Manawatu until it had been through this cut.

To Mr Vickerman: The cut would cross the road between Foxton and Himitangi, near Moutuiti, and should be about 50 feet deep. No protection works would be needed if the cut were wide enough. Mr P. W. Inge, Shannon, stated that he had some low-lying lauds which were affected by floods. He paid a rate of 2s rod per acre, the valuation being .£7 xos per acre. A rate of five per cent would be too high. If they were rated for any scheme it should be ou the acreage basis. There were a few thousand acres there, which, if relieved from floods, would increase in value by about ,£ls per acre. He would be willing to pay a rate of about los per acre on some of the laud if it were made immune from flood. There were others who would be willing to pay from 5s to 6s. None of the floods were caused by local water. To Mr Law (Makerua): The water stayed on the land from two days to a month. To Mr Stubbs: The Government should subsidise any proposed scheme.

Mr George N. Stephenson, Shannon, stated that he was a member of the Horowheuua County Council, and they had decided to support the settlers in getting an outlet for their flood water. The scheme was a national one, and should be subsidised by the Government. Lands which were now worth from ,£lO to ,£l2 per acre, would be worth double. He particularly wished the lower reaches separated from the upper. The needs of the settlers in the higher lands were totally different to those of the settlers lower down, but at the same time those higher up should also contribute. There should be a separate board to control the area up to Jackeytown, and another to control the area above that. The whole of the flooded area should be taken in and rated on the acreage basis. The Himatangi scheme was impracticable. He favoured the scheme to straighten the river in its present course, and increase its carrying capacity. It was not advisable to, make a cut through Moutoa, owing to the low-lying lauds. The lands were able to bear the cost of the scheme, but assistance should be given by bodies in the upper reaches and by the Government, A board constituted on the same lines as the Taieri Board would meet local requirements. To Mr Thomson: There should be one River Board to control the flooded areas, with a number of sub-districts, each to have a representative. It would be better to absorb the Drainage Boards in the River Board. To Mr Stubbs: Some of the benefited land could bear a rate of about 6s per acre, but the upper lands should contribute on account of the gravel, etc., that was being sent down. He would include the watershed area, or failing that, a Government subsidy. To Mr Venn: Palmerston would probably benefit most from the scheme. If any Government assistance were forthcoming, the settlers in the upper reaches should contribute towards construction and maintenance works. To Mr Hennessy: Flax lands would increase slightly in value if the proposed scheme were carried out, but the flax lands would be better wiped out and turned into farm lands.

To Mr Thomson; He knew of some very small areas, the owners of which would prefer to see them converted from farm lands to flax lands.

Mr Charles B. Robinson, Shannon, stated that all the floods came from the other side of the Gorge. He had a few acres that were subject to the floods, and if £lO per acre were added to the value of them, he would be willing to be rated to that extent. He wanted a- scheme that would take the water away quickly, and considered that flax lands would also benefit by this, though not as flax lands. To Mr Gower: He could not say whether stop banks had contributed to any damage. To Mr Venn : The whole water shed area should contribute, if the water came down quicker than in former years. Mr Reginald h. Titler, Shannon, had about 30 acres of land subject to floods from the Manawatu River. If the flood waters were kept off this land, it would! be worth about instead of £2O, He favoured any scheme that would take away the flood waters, and considered that flooded areas only should be rated. Mr John R. Stansell, Shannon, stated that the flax had given him such a doing that he got tired of it.

Some time ago meetings had been called, at which a scheme had been advocated to deal with the flood waters before they reached the low-lying grounds. The scheme was to make a cut from below the Oroua river to the sea, and was known as the Himatangi Scheme. An engineer from India had visited the site, and had stated that there were no engineering difficulties to be overcome, and the cost would be well within ,£IOO,OOO. Once the water was converted to this course, it would to a great extent cut its own channel. The silt that would be brought dowu would improve the sandy soil, and tend to prevent it from being shifted by the wind. During a period of 10 years he had known the position of the bar to shift about a mile. This was accounted for by the fact that with low water there was only one channel, but with a flood there were three or four. The compensation to be paid for laud used for this scheme would only be small, owing to the low values on the land, whereas if either of the other schemes were adopted, large sums would have to be paid. The Himatangi cut would be put in eight or ten feet above the ordinary level of the river, or perhaps less, and it would then take flood waters away about 24 hours sooner than was done by the present course. The few large holders of flax lands who objected to being relieved of the flood waters, should not be considered to the detriment of hundreds of smaller settlers, who would benefit by the scheme. The port of Foxton would not suffer if this scheme were carried out.

To Mr Short: Both the flooded areas and the area right up to the Gorge, should contribute towards the cost of the scheme. He could not say whether, if the cut filled up near the sea, the water would break out towards the Fisherman's Bend, but he did not think it would do any harm if that did occur.

To Mr Vickerman : He did not know that a cut 50 feet deep would have to be made at Moutuiti to carry out this scheme. To Mr Stubbs: The fact of getting the flood waters away quicker would benefit Palmerston, inasmuch as there would be less erosion.

Mr Walter Carter, Moutoa, had been in favour of the Himatangi scheme, but since he had heard about the levels from Mr Robinson, he thought it might be impracticable. His idea was to deal with the water as high up as possible before it became congested. It was doubtful whether the straightening of the river would prove effective. The rates from either of the big schemes would be prohibitive, and there was no guarantee that they would be successful. The scheme to cut through from the Moutoa Church to Mrs Austin’s would probably be better than any. A great deal of land within the flooded area would not benefit to any great extent, while other lands would be increased to three times their value. The selling value of witness’ land would be increased by about £$ per acre. The scheme would not benefit flax lands, but if flax went down, and they were converted into grazing lauds, they would be more valuable.

To Mr Robinson : The royalties on flax at present were about ios per ton.

To Mr Hennessy: The stopbanks erected did good when erected in certain places. He did not think the questioner’s scheme would act unless the flood waters could be tapped somewhere else. [Adjourned till Friday, the report of which appears on page 2.]

3. Boy’s Bike Rack (local), under 18, 1 mile. Ist prize, Mr Bradley’s trophy, value £1 7s (id, 2nd, trophy value 10s Gd. Post entry Is.

4. FOXTON GRAND HANDICAP, three distances, 440, 220 and 100 yards. Ist prize for each distance, 80s ; 2nd, 30s ; 3rd 10s. Points prize aggregate, points to count 5, 3 and 2. Ist prize, M. R. H, Bright’s Gold Medal, value £2 2s, 2ucl Mr Ball’s trophy, value £1 Is, In addition to the above a special prize (a beautiful trophy, value £ls 15s), presented by Messrs Stevens, Easton and Austin, will be given to the competitor first gaining 20 points. (N.B This will be the first year that this valuable trophy has been competed for). Entrance each distance 4s. 5. The Foxton Wheel Race, 2 miles. Ist prize, £lO ; 2nd, £3 ; 3rd £l. Entrance 10s. G. Gibls Race (local) under 14. Ist prize, Dr. Adams special, £1 Is ; 2nd Mr Betty’s trophy, value 10s Gd. Entrance free. 7. One Mile Bike Race. Ist prize, £3; 2nd, £2 ; 3rd, £l. Entrance 3s. 8. Half Mile Running. Ist prize, £5; 2nd, £2 ; 3rd, £l. Entrance ss.

9. Youths District Race, 440 yards (under 18'.. Ist prize Mr G. Stiles tropliy, value £2 2s ; 2nd, Mr Page’s value £1 Is. Post entry 2s. 10. Schools Relay Race, i mile. Teams of six to be nominated by tbe Headmaster, prize 0 Silver Medals, value 10s 6d cacb. Entrance free. 11. Married Women’s Race (local).Ist prize, ton best coal, delivered, pre sented by Mr H. Coley. Entrance free. 12. 300 Yards Flat Ist prize, Mr Perreau’s tropliy, value £3 3s ; 2nd, Mr Levett’s, value £1 Is. Entrance, 3s. 13. Flax Spreading Competition. Ist prize, Mr R. H. Barber’s, £2 2s. Entrance 2s 6d. 14. Boot Race. Ist prize, Dr. Mandl’s £1 Is. Post entry Is. 15. 11 Mile Bike Race. Ist prize £5 ; 2nd, £2 10s ; 3rd £l. Entrence ss. 16. One Mile Running. Ist prize, £5; 2nd, £2 10s; 3rd, £l. Entrance ss. 17. Wrestling (Cumberland style) under 18. Ist prize, Medal. Post entry Is. 18. Haka And Poi Dance Competition. Special Prizes. 19. Forced Handicap, 150 yards. Ist prize, £2 ; 2nd, £l. Entrance, winners (compulsory), 3s; losers (optional), 2s. 20. Guessing Competition (on the ground). Ist prize, Mr W. J. White’s trophy, value £2 2s. Entrance 6d. A Gold Medal, value £2 2s, presented by Mr H. Carter, will be given to the competitor gaining most points in Bicycle Races during the day. First race tc start at 11.30 a.m. sharp Races for children throughout the day NOMINATIONS, accompanied by 2s on each event, close with the Secretary, Foxtou, and M. R. W. Armit, 51 Lambton Quay, Wellington, on Monday, October 20, at 10 p.m., for events, 1,4, 5,7, 8, 10,12,13, 15 and 10. HANDICAPS will appear on or about November 2nd. ACCEPTANCES close on the ground 30 minutes before the advertised time of starring each event. Entry forms can be obtained from the Secretary. Special trains from Feilding and Palmerston North, A special tram will run from Pukenui and Sanson. Trains will stop at ground. Refreshment Booth on the Ground. Band in attendance. Grand Concert in Evening. Programmes can be obtained on application to the Secretary. Admission to ground; Adults Is, Children under 12 half-price. FRANK D. WHIRL EY, Hon. Sec., Foxtou.