PROTECTION AGAINST FLOODS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3512, 17 July 1926, Page 3

PROTECTION AGAINST FLOODS

MANAWATU OROUA RIVER BOARD SCHEME. DISCUSSED BY MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL. At Thursday’s meeting of the Manawatu County Council a letter was read from the ManawatuOroua River Board asking the cooperation of the Council in its com prehcnsive scheme which will safeguard a considerable area of fertile country against the floold waters of the Manawatu and Oroua rivers. The letter stated that the Board had made exhaustive investigations into the best comprehensive scheme for controlling,the rivers, and that adopted by the Board was estimated to cost £450,000. Briefly it is proposed to rectify the alignment of the existing courses of the river by cut-offs and other suitable works, and to increase the carrying capacity of the channels. From where the Manawatu river strikes the Moutoa sub-division to the sea, it was not possible to so improve the present tortuous channel of 30 miles so as to make it capable of cai'rying big floods, and from this point to the sea it was proposed to make a diversion of the river, shortening its course to the sea by 20 miles. The present course would however, be improved. It would still be required to carry the flood waters from the Tokomaru, Otaura and Koputaroa rivers. To improve the discharge of flood waters from these rivers, another short diversion was proposed forming a tributary to the main diversion. The principal benefits arising from such a scheme were (1) an increase in the value and safety from flooding of the land in the Council’s district, with a consequent increased population and rating value; (2) great improvement in all facilities of transport and communication; (3) better and more effective drainage; (4) the safeguarding of the lands now liable to flooding and the appreciation in value of those lands, with a consequent appreciation in value of all the lands in the vicinity. The County Clerk explained that the Board’s view was that the work was a national one, and that the local bodies concerned should cooperate for the common good. The chairman (Cr. H. H. Hunt) said that the main question was the 1 cost of the scheme and, further, whether it would be a payable proposition as far as landholders and their rates were concerned. The estimated cost was an unknown quantity—there may be floods and other circumstances which would increase the cost. One farmer had said he would sooner contend with an occasional flood than have his property loaded with the rates which the sum involved would mean. C'r. H. J. Fagan considered that the Council should have a special committee to deal with the matter, and he moved that the chairman* and Crs. Boyce and Barber, with the County clerk, act in the matter. Cr. J. Boy.ce did not think that three parts of the Manawatu County would be affected by the scheme. It only affected the bottom end of the County. The- County clerk stated that there was a legal difficulty in the .question, in so far as the local bodies cited were concerned. It

was a question whether the counties in the watershed area of these rivers should be included in the scheme or not. So far these counties had not been cited. Cr. Boyce: I think the scheme is altogether too ambitious for such a small area. ,Cr. W. Pearce seconded Cr. Fagan’s motion, which was carried. A deputation consisting of Messrs J. H. Wfilton (member of the Board) F. C. Hay (engineer) and P. E. Baldwin (solicitor) waited on the Council to put the position before Councillors. Mr. Wilton explained that the Manawatu County had been cited for the reason that a considerable portion of the County was subject to flooding. Mi’. Hay outlined the proposed work as summarised in the Board’s letter to the Manawatu Council. Mi’. Baldwin stated that the Board desired the Council’s sympathy towards obtaining Government assistance for the scheme. It was undoubtedly a national work, in fact more so than any of the other drainage schemes in which the State had granted financial assistance.

Cr. H. H. Hunt: Do you think it is a fair thing to draw in the whole of the Manawatu County when only a small portion is affected 1 ? Mr. Hay: My Board thinks so for the reason that the benefit to the flooded area would amount to a benefit to the whole County. Road maintenance costs in the flooded area would be lessened, and the County would receive benefit from the increased value of the property affected.

In reply to the chairman, Mr. Hay said that he did not think that the estimate would be exceeded. Afer the deputation, had withdrawn it was resolved that the committee appointed above, act as the Council’s delegates to the conference of local bodies to be held in Palmerston North next month to consider the scheme.