Minister Recognises Flood Dangers

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 22, 27 January 1937, Page 4

Minister Recognises Flood Dangers

ENGINEER TO MAKE SPECIAL SURVEY OP MANAWATU AND OTAKI RIVERS The intimation that Mr. Grant, engineer attached to the Public Works Department, was to he stationed in the Manawatu for a period of several months in order that he may make a special study of the Manawatu river with a view to something being done to control its course, was made by the Minister of Public Works, Hon. K. Semple, when inspecting the river yesterday in the Makerua area. Mr. Semple added that Mr. Grant would submit a report to him and then the whole question of flood prevention would be considered on a national basis. Something had to be done, the Minister stated. The country could not afford lo see thousands of acres of rich fertile land continue to he washed into the Pacific. There had been a lot of tinkering with the river by local bodies in the past. Further than that, in the case of some parts of tho Manawatu river, the lives of the settlers and their property were endangered at the moment.

When Mr. Grant had. completed his survey of the Manawatu riveer he will proceed to the Otaki river, the Minister also intimated. The flood conditions there were also bad and he feared that if something were not done Otaki would to washed into the sea one day. There had only been dabbling in the river control in the past and it would now take a mint of money to undo all tho damage that had been done in the past. It was a national duty to save every acre of land possible from tho maws of the river.