MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4519, 18 October 1930, Page 4

MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD.

~~ The .Maim watu-Oroua River Board met in Palmerston North on Thursday when there wore present Messrs W. S. Carter (chairman), W. Barber, B. G. Gower, J. E. Harrison, A. Buchanan, D. Rowland, IT. .1. T. Ilinno, ('. If. jSpeirs, and R. .J. Law. The hoard’s solieitor (Mr. P. E. Baldwin) and engineer (Mr. F. ('. Hay) were also in attendance. The decision to raise a special loan of £2666 13/4 for protection works in No. 3 separate area (Mnkerua —part of the board’s flood control scheme) was confirmed.

The Moutoa Drainage Board wrote asking if ji was the intention of the River Board to pay the rales on the land In be taken for the spillway in connection with the Hood control scheme. The rates amounted to 3/- per acre. Mr. B. G. Gower said the position was a peculiar one. The spillway would "ahsouib T6OO acres of I lie Moutoa area and they wanted to know whether the River Board would pay the rates on that ItiOO acres or whether the rest of the Moutoa area would have to hear an added burden.

The chairman acknowledged that the matter was one that would have to be looked into and asked that it be referred to the Board’s solicitor for report.

The suggestion was adopted and Mr. Baldwin said he would report to next meeting of the hoard. The matter was one which could only lie decided by law.

The engineer reported as follows:—No. 1. special area: Willow planting to protect Newman’s stopbank has (been completed. Additional trees and weights have been placed on the protective works at Ross, Rough and Co. The drain, to Spoil's’ property has been dug to iwithin four feet of: Speirs’ boundary: Job 10: Both cuts have 1 been widened and deepened. Investigations arc being made into the question of mining flic Taupiinga cut. Work's to relieve the pressure on the new bank at the Moutoa hall have been carried out. In connection with job 0 (cutting out of a ibcii d in the river at Buckley) it was decided to inform Hie Local Bodies Loans Board that it was impossible to do the work without, a Government subsidy of £OOS to bring the total money available up to £lßls. The purchase of the land alone would be f 1312.

Mr. 'Buchanan thought the Government ought to be asked to stale ils policy in regard to subsidising' purchase of land for sueli works.

Mr. Hume pointed out that a subsidy had been granted before for a. similar work involving the purchase of land.

The chairman: And a subsidy on our big scheme which includes purchase of .land. Mr. Hume voiced the urgency of the matter under review as the board had bought the land required and Hit* owner would very soon be insisting oil payment.

A DEPUT ATION WATTS ON BOARD. A deputation of 14 ratepayers waited upon the Board with objections against the scheme as a whole and to the classification. Messrs M. A. Elliott, D. Oollis, A. Chrystall, and Guy outlined at. length their objections. Mr. -J. Chrystall stated that if the board a few years back, had decided to abandon the comprehensive scheme as too costly, then ptrices to-day would not warrant, them going 011 with the modified scheme. Any closer settlement and increased production that would be brought about by the scheme, would be in the direction of dairy farming and was 'that not only adding to the glut?

The chairman: Should we stop producing. 1 Mr. D. Buchanan: We will if we go on with the scheme (laughter).

‘Mr. Chrystall thought, the time had come to break with the scheme for good. Were it carried 011 with the ratepayers would have their noses to the grindstone for life. •Mr. A. Guy: One can’t go on ad-

ding rates to the land. That is (ho crux of the whole position.

In rcplv the chairman said some of the arguments that have been used we are quite in accord with and the hoard will take the whole question into serious consideration. On the other hand some of the remarks of the deputation have been made without a knowledge of the lads. For instance, some thought that Makermi was being given value for ils hanks and credit in rates ns well. Such was not the rase. However, the board would lake notice of the requests of the deputation. Mr. Gower pointed out that it was the attitude of the Government that had hung up the Rivetr Board which realised that, the best assistance of the State was necessary. It was trying to get the best help it could from the. Government that had kept the board’s hands t ied.

The Board discussed several ot the points raised by the deputation and decided to adjourn.the meeting until October 30th to finalise the classification question.