MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2751, 28 June 1924, Page 2

MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD.

FLOOD PROTECTION

A statement with regard to the proposed scheme of the ManawatuOroua River Board for the protection of that portion of the Manavvatu district which is threatened by Hooding and which is in the board’s district was made to a “Standard” reporter by Mr R. T. Bell, chairman of the hoard.

“The surveys are just about completed and the estimated cost of the whole scheme will soon he available,” said Mr Bell. “The hoard intends to again approach the Government with a view to making a second request for assistance. The hoard’s intention now is to wait on the Minister vvilh a request to have any loan that may he authorised subsidised. Substantial assistance in this direction has already been granted to (lie, Taieri River Trust in the South Island and the trust’s area comprises only 17,000 acres, whereas ours comprises 70,000 and our district is the much more important.

“\Ve have now completed the survey of the Opuhi-Foxton section which has already been decided upon by the hoard. The balance of the surveys will be considered by the hoard at an early dale. “The scheme,” added Mr Bell, "is to prevent Hooding in the channels of the Mauawatu and Uroua Rivers which are within the hoards area. Our duty is to deal with the Hood water in those rivers. In one stretch where the river traverses a distance of 33 miles in its present channel the latter will be shortened by an overilow channel to a distance of 11 miles. This will he done in the Opuhi-Foxton section.”

Mr Bell would not discuss the amount of the first loan proposal that will he submitted, preferring to withhold sueli information in the meantime.