MANAWATU-OROUA RIVERS’ BOARD SCHEME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3689, 10 September 1927, Page 3

MANAWATU-OROUA RIVERS’ BOARD SCHEME.

MINISTER 'COMPLETES TOUR

OF INSPECTION.

After partaking of lunch at Foxton on Wednesday afternoon the Minister for Public Wtarks (Hon. K. S. Williams) completed, his tour of the Manawatu-Oroua River Board area. AFTERNOON TOUR,

From Foxton the Minister was taken to a sandhill overlooking Rush Flat where, at the mouth of the Manawatu River, it is proposed that the first cut should be made. The hillock also commanded a view of the second proposed cut, eliminating the big bend in the river between the mouth and Foxton. Thence the party proceeded to Rangiotu where, from the hill at the back of the Post Office, the Minister was able to get a splendid view of the flood areas. Mr. Williams’s attention was drawn to the extremely tortuous course of the outlet of the Oroua River and the Manawatu adjacent to that point. Thence the party crossed the suspension bridge to a spot where considerable close settlement is taking place. Owing to the lateness of the hour after afternoon tea and the Minister having to go back to Wellington, there was no time for a detailed inspection of the Kairanga and Oroua areas. The magnificent quality of the neighbouring land was stressed to the Minister, who remarked that the country was extremely fertile. SAVES TWENTY MILES.

It was mentioned in the course of , conversation with the Minister that the board’s scheme would cut off twenty miles of tho thirty-one through the short cuts from Opui to the mouth of the Manawatu River, while there would be immense relief from flood pressure. At the house of Mr. Akers, after the party had been refreshed with afternoon tea, Mr. Carter said that the matter had been discussed and there was no purpose, owing to the lateness of the hour, and the fact that the scheme had been outlined and a bird's eye view of the country obtained, in going on an extended tour through the Oroua, Kairanga and Kopane districts. Mr. Williams was not prepared to say anything definite but would endeavour to meet the suggestion of the board to return later, perhaps accompanied by the Minister of Lands (Hon. Mr. McLeod) and the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. Mr. Hawken) or one of those gentlemen and conduct' a fuller inspection. He thanked Mr. Williams for making the trip, saying that he had shown a good grip of the subject. MOST VITAL WORKS.

The works proposed, Mr. Carter continued, comprised the most vital for the district. They had shown the Minister the ground in the flood areas and the reasonable probabilities of the scheme for flood preven-

tion, and he believed that the MinisV ter understood the board’s proposals. It had been intended that Mr. Williams should be taken another 25,000 or 30,000 acres o| the low-lying land in question which would carry a settler for every forty acres. That land was now perforce held by settlers with fairly large areas. The scheme was one of the most important steps in the direction of settling the people on the land. They had about 80,000 acres there close to a town that was destined to be the largest inland one in New Zealand and with every' facility for close settlement. The trouble was that the people were crowding to the town, but he believed they would get settlers holding areas down to twenty-five acres. In his opinion the expenditure they were asking the Government to make would be one of the best investments that the Government could undertake. That area in the i past had not been any great expense to the Government. They had inspected the areas subject to very great danger, but the Minister could have no conception of what the floods were like unless he could look at one from a hill. Mr. Carter then thanked Hon. Mr. Williams for making the journey of inspection and promising to confer with the Minister of Lands and the Minister of Agriculture concerning the possibility of a fresh inspection. Mr. Buchanan endorsed Mr. Carter’s remarks.

NO BETTER LAND.

Mr. Akers said that the quality of the land on the other side of the Manawatu River —on the Kairanga and Oroua side —was equal to if not better than that of the country that they had seen. There was no better land in New Zealand, and it could stand a lot of money being spent on it for closer cultivation. The land on the other side of the river was the same as what had been seen, only more developed, explained Mr. Carter. In connection with the Shannon •bridge Mr. Gower said that anything the Government did would really be done through the Manawatu County Council. It was not a river board matter. There were 10,000 acres of country below the bridge that would be changed into a lagoon if the encroachment of the rive'r destroyed the protection at present provided by the bank erected by the Manawatu County Council. The work was a most urgent one. Mr. Williams promised to investigate the matter. Mr. Linklater expressed the pleasure that the party had had in having Mr. Williams’s company that day. The visit was the Minister’s first official one, and he had entered thoroughly into the scheme and

must agree that it was of vital importance. He also thanked Mr. Akers for providing afternoon tea. WIORTII HALF MILLION. ! That the land was worth protecting even at the expense of half a ■ million of money was an opinion expressed by Mr. Field. Whoever silent it the money would be well expended. He had gained an amazing insight of the country through the tom 1 , and would be glad if every member of Parliament could cover what the party had seen because a wrong impression was given through a less close inspection. Mr. Williams stated that he had tried to assimilate the scheme in the time he had had, but it was difficult to understand it fully. He would like to have more time in the district to thoroughly investigate the proposals. He concluded by speaking .appreciatively of the gcn- . tlemen who had conducted him around' the district and of the hospitality of Mr. Akers.