The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. "Te Ora Mota Iwi." FRIDAY, MAY. 15, 1903.

Motueka Star, Volume IV, Issue 181, 15 May 1903, Page 3

The Motueka Star PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. "Te Ora Mota Iwi." FRIDAY, MAY. 15, 1903.

The motion tabled by Councillor Rankin at the last meeting of the Motueka Borough Council, advocating the establishment of a River Board for the conservation oi the Motueka River. will be discussed at the next meeting of the Council. The question is one of great importance to the district, which has been threatened with serious loss on account of the surplus water overflowing the banks of the river ana spreading on the adjacent lands. The danger is intensified after every fresh or flo)d because debris, consisting of live and dead trees and branches, accumulates in the river bed, the effect being to divert the water in many

places and allowing branches to take root in the gravel and by so doing helping to still further pile up the natnral watercourse. Experience goes to prove that in other parts of the colony where streams have not been assisted and properly conserved large tracts of valuable land have been eaten away and the same thing will sooner or later happen here. Now that public attention has been called to the question it is to be hoped the Council will back up Mr Rankin and approve of the principle he advocates. A properly constituted River Board, working in a3cordance with the provisions of the Act, will do more good, and administer its funds to better advantage, than private individuals who may join forces and obtain assistance in order to protect their own properties, possibly at the expense of land holders above or below them. During the last sitting of Parliament the Hon. T. Y. Duncan clearly and unmistakably pointed out _ the proper course to adopt, for those settlers troubled by river encroachments, and it cannot be expected the Government will go on subsiding public bodies and private owners when the machinery is provided for them to protect themselves effectively by petitioning for the establishment of River Boards. Residents in the Riwaka district, who are also interested in the question, which is of vital importance to them also, will no doubt have something to say on the subject at the proper time.