PROGRESS AND FLOOD PROTECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4414, 13 February 1930, Page 3

PROGRESS AND FLOOD PROTECTION.

giv —x have been impressed with one or two letters appearing m vour excellent paper recently. One from “Commercial” dealing with the flood prevention, and one from “Motorist” dealing principally with highways in and around Foxton. ■Why I am so impressed is because both letters deal with totally different subjects, yet. emphasise plainly the fact that Foxton is being side-tracked “by the powers that he ’> Naturally we wonder why this should be, and from every direction the answer is, “on aceoun of the floods.” On account of the floods our river is silting up, am sandbanks are appearing and making the port almost unworkable toi the only boat that is trading here It appears to me that it would be better for Foxton to have the wharf removed to Rush Flat, as would be necessary With the Maiia-watu-Oroua River Board scheme, and have twenty or thirty boats per month trading here, than the one solitary boat as under the presen conditions..nml fall " £ “inrv I understand that tile Hood was responsible lot k 8 out a large area of recently keen cut on the Montoa swamp. The floods also are ic sponsible for disorganisation am , i ess of employment in flaxmills and swamps, and increase of overhead charges in the same. They are i sponsible or the -rapid spread in the swamps of giant, femmt, » * • rue, blackberry and giant watt grass, etc.; all of which are choking out the flax and reducing the output of hemp. The farmers who ai< bravely cai rv in- on their farming operations in the flood areas deserve the contra filiations and admiration of us ‘ all. Their loss with every flood m not only a loss to themselves hut is a loss,to bur town and distum. No wonder we can get neither hi trr nor cheese factories started in Foxton, yet across the river Shannon is increasing the size ot - butter factory at a c°st °£ abo»t £20,000 (twenty thousand poun _ No bitumen roads for the Foxton highways, vet across the river they can get a Government free grant by way of unemployed labour, and all through traffic is being encouraged to go that way, all on account of floods in Foxton. A few years ago the floods occurred on the other side of the ' river, and we were practically immune. By the adoption of a commonsense scheme of flood control they have made themselves secure and practically independent of the River Board scheme, and to-day this side is practically a spiling or dumping ground for the surplus Manawatu water. New roads farms are springing up m all the old swamps in' the Shannon sue, and here farmers are being driven off and their holdings rapidly inverting to swamps again. Now, may I suggest that it m trine that we citizens of Foxton had stocktaking of ourselves. ,1 am wondering where does our wort Mayor and Councillors stand m tins strenuous fight that the ivci Board is putting lip tor Government assistance towards the overflow scheme. Do they.realise that every ounce of assistance is required to j, e t the subsidy, and that the ache mo is a vital necessity to the cxis r,ence of our borough 1 ? The flax industry /is declmii g „nie.kly, ami is ™,nin c to »> «•> in the next few years, as it has done elsewhere, and it is sunply a case now of closer settlement and • farms, per medium of River 'Board scheme, or stagnant swamps which will mean still further unpaid '""May I urge that his Worship should act quickly and hrmg wl.at- • ever influence he may possess to the assistance of the River Board Our Chamber of Commerce is a ve rv live institution, and undoubtis doing a great amount of l-ood to the town. Here again the matter should perhaps be discussed at every meeting. Finally, may I express my - tm,, chat the “Manawatu Hcraki” has always advocated the Hood control scheme, and has given full "publicity to every movement that has for its object security and progress—Yours, etc., ' FOXTON

money in. used STAMPS

(To the Editor)

Sir-an the Bay o£ Plenty there lives 'a man who for the past 15 ‘ears has been a.iQstentatmnsly IZ aged in a self-sacriheing wo* in behalf of the CWJyen’s Home, m which he is . - S ’"t "d that there was money in used stamps, and undei?TL dispose of any that interested people *«ight collect, for e assistance of , s a stamp collecting camIn was inaugurated, which has ” ° mowing steadily through the '2. to the tost complete year {fr i C Wiltshire (the gentleman SgbiSifflJp S? t 0 d ° t he n ' , o i, s and 'has up to a total of £417. aims to prodnee flflOO, hence i"i a rthh b L‘" y 0 * SJM duced from stamps saved n»

waste paper basket to be burned, ad wo appeal to business tirnis am ii( liers to tear off the slumps from Hi oil 1 correspondence, parcels, etc., and send to ns. If any can send ns somethin-; better, such as accumulated odd lots, higher values or discarded collections, they will be the more appreciated, but wo wn oiadlv welcome any and all sorts It **«**, "l.ieh will 1* to the best advantage. All interested in Child A elCa arc invited to share in this efknt, and we cordially thank all fr.m * •who are already helping • m direction. , Large or small parcels maj soll ( to the undersigned, and will h gratefully acknowledged. With thanks to yon Mr. Ed.loi fnv vour courtesy. TITOS. E. WpTTTON, ? Secretary-Treasurer. n rhilrlren’s Homo, Manurewa, (.aimmn Auckland.