RECLAIMING THE LAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2077, 13 January 1920, Page 2

RECLAIMING THE LAND.

SOME of the best land in the Dominion for pastoral, agricultural and intensive cultivation, is to he found on both banks of the tortuous Manawatu River. The ’land we refer to is a few miles from Palmerston and Eoxton, and comprises an arga of about 70,000 acres. Only the fringe of this productive- soil has been touched, for the reason that it’is periodically inundated with the Hood waters of the Manawatu River, and other streams. If nature had cut a direct channel from the• Malta wa hi Gorge to the sea, as an outlet for the Manawatu, Palmerston would now be,,,an important shipping "centre, instead of which the river meanders in and out and round about througli miles of fertile and low-lying country, and when in flood becomes congested and spills over this fertile and low-lying area. Goatsrue is deposited on these Hats, which is another menace to the land. Stop-banks have been erected by the Montoa Drainage Board and settlers at considerable expense, but this method, besides being costly, will not do any permanent good, and the land will still be subject to Hood waters and noxious growths. The only sure method to reclaim the laud is by a cut that will shorten the How and give a quicker outlet. A Conic l minssion was appointed years ago to take evidence, and to .submit a scheme that would remedy matters. Two cuts were proposed, one from the Maori Church at Moutoa. coming out near Mr Nyc’s mill, and the other through the" Maiakarapa .swamp .to the. Fishermen * Bend, near the Heads. .The latter would divert the wafer from the wharf, and leave it high find dry. And then the cost was considered too great — ■something in the vicinity of £400,000. Tl\fe recent Conference of set-

tiers interested appeared to favour the Moutoa cut, and step's are being taken- to constitute a Board to out this scheme. In the meantime the Makerua land owners are taking steps to protect their property by erecting stop-banks and a system of drainage. .’.While-this may be successful so far as they are concerned, it will not relieve the congestion, but will divert the flood waters elsewhere, and-this may lead to much litigation. It will be move satisfactory to all concerned to form a Board and adopt a comprehensive scheme.