GREAT DRAINAGE SCHEME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2628, 4 September 1923, Page 2

GREAT DRAINAGE SCHEME.

To Reclaim 70,000 Acres of Land. ITS EFFECT UPON THE PORT. CONFEERENCE BETWEEN RIVER BOARD AND HARBOUR BOARD. ENGINEERS TO CONFER. “The Manawatu district is a giant, and it is impossible to foretell its future potentialities and development, said the Hon. Edward Newman to our representative when discussing the proposed Nlanawatu-Oroua Drainage Board s drainage scheme. “The 70,000 acres proposed to be made secure against inundation from floods will support a family to every 50 iacres.”

For years past it Ims been tbe dream of settlers throughout the district that some scheme should be evolved to keep the Manawatu river within due bounds, and prevent it spilling over thousands of acres of' some of tbe richest and most fertile land in the Dominion. Its tortuous course and tidal effects causes it to back up into the low-lying basins along its banks. A Royal Commission was set up some years ago to take evidence and report as to the best means of dealing with the flooded areas. It recommended two cuts, to provide a quick getaway. There was no cohesion nmong the settlers, and the recommendations remain as a record. Then followed the Makerua banking scheme, which had for its object the protection of a large area against inundation. But this scheme diverted the flood waters to other low-lying areas. Then Mr R. T. Bell, with other settlers, conceived the idea of forming a River Board to deal with the whole problem of drainage from the Fitzherbevt bridge in the upper reaches, to the sea. The proposal was discussed at public meetings throughout tlie district, and as a result the settlers were practically unanimous in the formation of the Board, which was constituted, and a Bill passed into law defining-its powers. The Board decided to obtain the services of AN EMINENT ENGINEER, and Mr F. C. Hay was selected to formulate a comprehensive and practical scheme. No time was lost by the Engineer in making a survey of the lands adjacent to the river, taking levels, etc. His mission was ! to pi’ovide a scheme not only to control the flood waters of the Manawatu and the prevention of the flooding of 70,000 acres of land, but to improve the estuary for navigation, and this latter is where the Harbour Board comes in. THE PROPOSED B''HEME ! touches on the functions of the Harbour Board, and nrce .s lates co-operation. Channels I ave to be built sufficient to dif-H arg’- the I whole flood waters of the Manawatu and its tributaries from the points where overflow now takes place to the sea. The existing channels in the flooded area are only nbout one-fifth to one-sixth the capacity required, and the discharge of flood waters are also impeded by the tortuous course of the channel. By straightening the river and giving the channel a more direct run to the sea, the flood waters will he discharged quicker, and benefit will accrue to the lands now flooded, and to that part of the river required for navigation. If the scheme outlined by the engineer is not in the best interests of the Harbour Board, some other proposal will have to be put foi'ward which will be better suited to the improvement of the port of Foxton. A decision on this part of the whole scheme is of vital importance to both bodies, as it- is at the lower end of the river that flood control works should start, and the River Board is anxious to have everything in readiness to put complete proposals before its ratepayers at the earliest date. The proposals put before the Harbour Board are: — No. 1. A Combination of two cuts, one through Maukuku, in line with another through the rush flat. This would give a direct run of the flood waters to the mouth of the river, and would shorten the distance from the sea to whei-e the cut begins by four and a-half miles. The cut begins about one and a-half miles upstream from Foxton, a little below the Moutoa main drain, and the direction is the same as the 1 prevailing wind, or W.N.W. No. 2 Pi’oposal. A combination of two cuts starting at Whirokino bend, and running in a north-westerly direction to the estuary, crossing the rush flat and ending at nearly the same place as the No. 1 proposal. The distance from the sea to where the cut begins is by the existing channel nine miles, and by the new cut a little over tln’ee miles, showing a saving of about six miles in distance. This cut is not in a direct line with the bar, and is also subject to sand drift. No. 3 Proposal. A cut from Whirokino Bend to Hartley’s Bend, close to No. 2 proposal, differing from No. 2 in that it is longer, and is curved to get a better location between the lines of sand hills. THE CONFERENCE. The River Board arranged a conference with the Harbour Board to discuss the scheme as it affects the Harbour Board’s jurisdiction, on Saturday, at Foxton. Those present were: Messrs J. Linklater, M.P. (chairman), J, A. Nash, M.P., W, E, Barber, E. R.

B. Holben, W*. Signal, J. Chrystall (Harbour Board), R. T. Bell, W. S. Carter, K. McDonald, H. Akers, Wilton, W. Smith, P. Neilson, and M. F. Anderson, and the engineer, Mr F. C. Hay (River Board). Apologies for absence were received from Messrs A. Seifei-t and J. W. Rimmei-. A plan, showing ihe proposed cuts affecting the Harbour Board’s area were submitted and inspected. The chairman, after welcoming the members of the River Board to foxton, congratulated those interested on the passing of the Mana-watu-Oroua River Board Bill, which bad recently successfully passed through Parliament without opposition. Coming to the qxxestion of the conference, the chairman .said it was obvious that a big scheme was necessary for the general development of the port, and he understood that the members of the River Board wished to discuss matters of vital importance to the port of Foxton, and members of Hie Harbour Board would view the matter from the standpoint of the advancement of the harbour. MR, BELL EXPLAINS. Mr R. T. Bell (chairman of the River Board) thanked Messrs Linklater and Nash for their efforts on behalf of- the River Board Bill, and pi’oceeded to state that the district embraced 70,000 acres of the best land in New Zealand, which was not producing as extensively as it should on account of the flood waters preventing the working of full time. After each flood the water covered the land, doing a great deal of damage and genei’ally retarding settlement and development. Parts of the district depended largely on the growing and milling of flax, and on occasions the industry was held up owing to large areas being inundated. It was most essential that a scheme should be effected —not half carried out —that would bring productive capacity of the district up to what it should be. If the flood watei’s could be. kept from the land, and intense cultivation practised, the production would be trebled. Some time ago when this problem had been considered it was wondered how the delivery of the water off this area woixld affect the Foxton Harbour Board, which body had agreed not to interfere with the scheme, providing the water was diverted into the Manawatu at a point about one and a-half miles above the-town. Knowing that they had the consent of the Harbour Boai'd, the members of the River Board had instructed the engineer to investigate, and it was then found that if the scheme was to be a complete success, the work must lie started at the lowest point possible. It was seen that if the water was delivered into the river above the town at a faster rate than it was at present running, the effect would be obviously deti'imental to the town of Foxton. It was an impressive fact, too, that about 2,300 square miles of land were dependent upon the Manawatu River for an outlet, and as the capacity of the present channels was totally inadequate to cope with the water, immediate action was necessary. Important data has been prepared by the engineer eoncerning ihe river from the Fitzherbert Bridge to Foxton, and the quantity of water discharged. “We do not want to be placed in t'..q position that some districts in ti e S..uih Island were compelled to endure recently,” said Mr Bell. “We have the land well railed and well roaded, but if we are not careful we will wake up some rnorni. g and find these things washed av. ay.” The speaker urged co-op-erative action by the bodies eonc. rnr-d in order that the scheme might be of general benefit to ■ very.me throughout the district. 1.. considered great advantages would be gained by the port of Foxton if the proposed cut was carried through at the suggested point below the town. The river was making huge, inroads into the bank at wu’ious bends, and there had been n i preventive measures taken to check it. ENGINEER OUTLINES SCHEME. Mr Hay outlined the River Board’s proposals, illustrating his remarks by reference to the plan <-f the area involved. He said, although the scheme might not be so beneficial to the ratepayers of the River Board, he said the . No. 1 scheme would confer greater advantages on the whole district than any of its alternative proposals, one of which commenced near the Whirokino Bridge, and which would ouly assist parts of the district. The datat he had prepared included approximate measurements of the flood water to be discharged, and it was estimated that the quantity was so great that the long reach channel would remove only onesixth of the water that had to be dealt with if the land was to be kept free from floods. The width

of the channels, he contended, would be about 1,200 feet eventually, though the initial excavation would not go to that extent. From the engineering point of view the interests of the two boards were to a certain extent common, concluded Mr Hay, both of them requiring a good, quick run to sea, a good bar, and as direct a channel as it was possible to get. He would not care to have anything to do with a scheme that would flood out or be detrimental to Foxton or its port. The cut might mean that the channel from the end of the first cut to the wharf would have to be dredged. He did not think the wharf would be left high and dry. Hr Signal said the bar was as good now as it ever was, and he did not agree that the direct channel would improve it. In reply to Mr Nash, Mr Hay said the cost of the first cut to the river would,- he estimated, be £20,000, and the continuation across Rush Flat to the outlet a further £6,0001. These figures, however, provided for a cut 100 feet in width, as it would be economically impossible to make the excavation wider for a commencement, and in any case the scour would do its own work. A straight run to sea through the suggested course would, he considered, prevent silting up in/the river, though if there was a certain amount, dredging would cope with it comfortably. In reply to further questions, Mr Hay said he expected to secure a depth of 10 feet to 12 feet in the channel when it was made, though in time he thought it would dig itself out to a depth of equal that of the present channel, where 21 feet of water was available. He would recommend the No. 1 cut and its continuation through Rush Flat. CONFERENCE OF ENGINEERS. Mr Bell said the question was whether the Harbour Board thought it advisable to have their engineer investigate and confer with the River Board engineer. If this was thought desirable, he would like to know just how much the Harbour Board would combine with them, and how much it was considered the scheme would affect the port. The port of Foxton was not doing as well as it had previously done, and only one boat was running regularly at the present time. Mr Bell said there were 70,000 acres to be protected from flood water, and if this water was not taken away at a greater rate than at present, a huge disaster would occur and hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage would be done. “Let us help ourselves, while we can,” lie said, “it is not only a question of the destruction of stock, but may mean the loss of human life. We don’t want to send the water .down on the town of Foxton.” LOCAL OPINIONS. Mr Chrystall said he was confident. that the channel to the wharf would keep comparatively clear, even if the ,cut was put through. The scheme under review was a large one, and promised great benefits to Foxton, and the surrounding districts. At present there were four large basins that could not be used for closer settlement, and this land would give a more stable production by dairying than from flax. Any slight detriment that might be incurred to the Harbour Board would be compensated tenfold by the increase in prosperity throughout the district. Mr Barber, in supporting the scheme, explained that he had long been looking forward to something of this kind, as he realised that until adequate provision was made for the removal of flood water from the land in the Foxton district, they could not derive the full benefit from the port. SHIFTING THE WHARF. Mr Holben expressed himself in favour of the No. 1 cut, and said the place for the wharf was, in his opinion, on Rush Flat. This was not a question of to-day or to-mor-row, but one of hundreds of years hence. THE FINANCIAL ASPECT. Mr Nash said the members of the Harbour Board were well aware of the tendency of the river to overflow in time of floods on to some of the best land it was possible to get. Some time had passed since the district had been visited by an “old man” flood,” but he recalled occasions'when he had seen houses floating down the Manawatu River. They could not tell when another flood would occur. As to the wharf, there was no doubt that its location should be lower down. The main point, continued Mr Nash, appeared to be the attitude of the Foxton people, but they had the assurance of the Mayor (Mr Chrystall) that they would agree to a scheme if it was to benefit the district. The Harbour Board, however, was placed in a peculiar position in regard to finance, as when the revival of the Board took place promises were made that if the people sanctioned a loan for the re-establishment of the port, no more calls would be made on them in this. direction, and that the Board would be conducted solely from revenue. He realised and stressed his opinion that the time had long arrived when the Foxton wharf should be shifted down the river in order to facilitate the more expeditious handling of produce.

HARBOUR BOARD’S ATTITUDE. The chairman said he had always advocated the removal of the wharf to the heads. He assured the River Board members that he was in sympathy with their proposals,*and had no doubt tlfat the Harbour Board would enable their engineer to confer with Mr Hay, and present a re-

port. He was quite sanguine as to the execution of the scheme, and its effect upon the district. In reply to Mr Nash, Mr Hay estimated that the first cut would occupy about nine months to put through.

HARBOUR BOARD’S SUPPORT, BUT NO MONEY.

A subsequent meeting of the Harbour Board was conducted in committee, and on resumption the following resolution was reported on the motion of Mr Nash, seconded by Mr Chrystall: “That in the opinion of the Board the proposals of the River Board are desirable, and that the Harbour Board engineer, and Mr Hay, should confer with the Public Works engineer, and report to the Board for approval.” A further resolution was passed: —“That owing to the peculiar financial position of the Harbour Board, and the possibility of having to remove the wharf, the Board regrets that it cannot contribute in any way towards the cost of the cut.”