THE MANAWATU RIVER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2925, 20 August 1925, Page 2

THE MANAWATU RIVER.

COxMPAKISON WITH FORTY YHAKS A(io. du order I" give those inier-e-ue.l in the Manawatu River some idea of the conditions existing forty years ago we quote, for comparison, paragraphs which appeared in the Herald, dated duly 12th, ISSI : “The State of the. Kiver. —A good deal of understanding has been caused by the map of the Mapawalu Kiver recently issued by the Harbour 1 iuartl ami drawn by Messrs. King and Hill. At one point the limp shows a depth ut water nt the liver of only -I leel. With reference to this we may explain that the depth shown on llm map is at low water springs. The rise being between li feet and t leel. would give a depth at that pbint (.the shallowest in the river between the wharf and bar) at high water springs of between .111 and .1 fleet, quite snliieiont In tide over vessels .... pa hie of holding 25(1.000 feel of timber, if of a suitable class." In view of this paragraph appearing m the Herald, t lie Harbour M .ISler (Mr. A. Sea bury) was asked H> report mi the condition ol the. river and replied as lollows: •*At present there is lltt. ol water oil the bar and about the same 'depth mi the Hal in the river at spring’ tides. 1 cannot recommend vessels to load more than nine feet ul spring tides at present with safety. although l have frequently had sufficient witter on the bar to admit the above draught at neap tides. I recommend no more than seven or eight feel at neap tides. What 1 imemi to convey by. the word spring tides is two or three days proceeding full and change of the and about four days after and longer some times according to the weather."