RIVER BOARD MEETS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 161, 7 June 1940, Page 3

RIVER BOARD MEETS.

EROSION IN OROUA. V; DANGEROUS POSITION. The Manawatu-Oroua River Board met yesterday, when there were present Messrs J. Callesen (chairman), W. S. Carter, T. D. Lynch, H. Seifert, W. Jackson, B. G. Gower, H. J. Lancaster, R. J. Law and S. Parsons. The chairman reported that at tire request of various ratepayers he had made three inspections of the, Oroua River since (the recent flood. There was evidence of considerable deepen- 1 .ing,. and erosion was more or less in | evidence in the stretch from Manga-1 whata to the Manawatu River. Since the flood, portion of the bank at Mr J. Puklowski’s had fallen into the river. Temporary repairs had been made, hut the position was very dangerous, as a break in this place would mean that practically the whole of the river would run into tho Taonui basin. The chairman said he could see no remedy except shifting the bank back for a distance of, say, 20 chains. However, this portion was only one point, and he regretted to say that in his opinion the board would be faced with shifting of hanks on both sides of the river to the Mangawhata, and that this would occur possibly in the near future. He did not think the present a suitable time to launch such a scheme, but lie deemed it his duty to warn both tho ratepayers and board of the position. The board decided, in view of the serious position concerning the Oroua and Manawatu Rivers, to ask the Minister for Public Works (Hon. 11. Semple) to endeavour when drawing up the estimates for the coming year to provide a special sum for making the Wliirikino cut, to allow' the flood waters to run out more rapidly to the sea. It was also decided to mention in the resolution the intense pressure for relief being brought oil the board by settlers; Mr Puklowski waited on the hoard concerning about 15 chains of the Oroua River in his property, which he said had been very dangerous since the recent flood. The hank had been taken completely away and something would have to be done to protect tho Ivairanga side. He oflered to pay 25 per cent, of the cost of repairs. It was decided that the matter of doing protective work on the bank be treated as urgent and that it be proceeded with. | The solicitors for the trustees of the Hunt Estate advised that the trustees had dismissed with the hoard’s engineer (Mr H. R. Farquhar) the banking proposal for the Oroua River, and they were quite willing to fall in with the proposed scheme. They were prepared to pay one-quarter N of the construction cost. It was understood that the estimated cost of this work was £2OOO, but the engineer hoped that the cost would he bejow r that figure. It was suggested that the estate pay 12j per cent, of the cost of Section 1‘ on the right bank of the river, the portion from Saywell’s to Barber’s (25 chains), which it was understood would cost- £SOO. . It was decided to reply stating that the board’s financial position precluded the scheme being considered at the present time. The Makerua Drainage Board wrote asking the hoard to take steps to provide the necessary security to the Makerua Board against the danger ot the Manawatu River overflowing the hoard’s banks in the lower area. The Makerua Board considered that the danger had arisen because of unauthorised banking raising flood waters to a higher level than was the case before such hanking whs done. The engineer was instructed to bring down a report dealing with the banks at Pafakawa Point.