MANAWATU OROUA RIVER BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2971, 5 December 1925, Page 3

MANAWATU OROUA RIVER BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Manawatu —Oroua River Board was held in Palmerston North on Thursday, when Mr. W. S. Carter occupied the chair. Other members present were: Messrs. J. E. C. Harrison, H. Wilton, B. G. Gower, H, and A. Akers. RECORDING THE FLOODS. The engineer (Mr. F. C. Hay )reported that he had been informed that the apparatus for electrical water level recorders to keep a permanent record would cost £2OO and those to indicate the water level only, £144. In both eases tho mechanism is actuated by an 18in. copper float the movement of which is conveyed directly to a transmitter and thence by wires to the recorder, which indicates the level of the water by means of a pointer on a dial and in the first named apparatus, also records it on a chart. No. 2 apparatus would be sufficient for the purpose of reporting floods and issuing warnings to settlers, but the complete records kept by the other would be sufficiently valuable to justify the extra cost. The cost of the installation would be £260 for No. 1 and £204 for No. 2. As regarded the erection of the wire, the Post and Telegraph department would charge £lO/10/9 a year for a line between the Fitzherbert street bridge and the Palmerston North telephone exchange. He thought it advisable to install the apparatus at Palmerston North, as the telephone exhange was a continuous one and the transmitting of flood reports could be done with promptitude and accuracy. The Woodville reports could still come to Palmerston North and would be sent on as preliminary warnings of floods. When a flood was on, arrangements could be made to keep the Foxton and Shannon bureaux open throughout the night, or until the river began to go down. He had not received a definite assurance of this, but- the Post and Telegraph Department had indicated its willingness to help the Board in every way and if this were done and the cost were not made prohibitive he felt sure the reporting of floods . would be on as good a system as it was possible to get. The engineer suggested that the Government might be persuaded to finance the scheme and it was de-; eided that he place the particulars before the Prime Minister, with that object in view. CORRESPONDENCE. The Board was informed by Mr. T. Ward, Wellington, that the Government Survey Department has passed the plans of the River Board survey. The Manawatu Drainage Board wrote in reference to the bridge and floodgate at Rangiotu, asking whether the River Board was prepared to contribute a fair proportion of the cost, even if the structures were erected before the loan money was available. —It was decided to reply that- the Board would pay up to £SOO. The Department of Internal Affairs wrote acknowledging the Board’s application relative to the setting up of a Commission to affix the amount if any, to be contributed by the local bodies interested in the Board’s scheme and advised that an application should be made to the Governor-General. The Department assumed that formal application would be made and forwarded a draft warrant appointing a Commission, but the actual personnel had not been notified. It was decided that Messrs. W. S. Carter, H. Akers, B. G. Gower, N. P. Nielsen and F. C. Hay comprise a deputation to wait on the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Prime Minister, urging them to give power to the Commission to hear evidence regarding national interest in the Board’s scheme It was also decided to ask the Hon. E. Newman and Messrs J. A. Nash and J. Linklater, M’s.P. to accompany the deputation! The date of the interview with the Ministers to be left to Mi*. Linklater. The question of the citation of the local bodies was left over until after the deputation had visited Wellington and then if necessary a special meeting is to be called to discuss the matter.

An application for re-classiiioa-tion was received from K. Dalrymple, of Bulls. The financial statement showed a debit hank balance of £897/10/6,' which, with accounts? for payment £B9/7/7, made a total debit of £986/18/1. As against this, outstanding rates amounted to £924 7/7. r .

It was decided to add ten per cent, to all rates outstanding and sued for after December 21.