Who is to Blame For Spring’s Bank?

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 57, 10 March 1944, Page 4

Who is to Blame For Spring’s Bank?

Matters in connection with the demolishing of the stop bank at Springs (near Shannon) have been, since its re-erection, constantly advocated by the Makerua Drainage Board. Following on a lead from the Manawatu-Oroua River Board that the Government may be implicated, a letter was sent to the Director General of Agriculture, Mr. E. J. Fawcett, asking if that or any other Government Department under his control had been concerned with th© banking. The Board received the following reply: “I have your letter of February 10 in which you inquire about the departmental responsibility for the erection of a certain stop bank on Ihe Moutoa Estate. This matter was fully discussed at a meeting held in ray office on February 17 and an agreement was reached in regard to the action to be taken in the future. In view of the decision arrived at by the conference it does not seem desirable to discuss the matter further.” “And is the matter going to rest there?” queried a member. “Decidedly not,’ replied Mr. H. ; Seifert, chairman of tho board. Mi. Seifert went on to state that recently, accompanied by Mr. J. Callesen, chairman of the Manawatu-Oroua River Board, ana i a member from each of the areas directly affected, he had met. Mr. Fawcett and j uther government officials at Wellington 'on the matter. Mr. Callesen had charged | them with npl having approached his J board on their banking scheme and had pointed out the danger in which tlieii ; actions placed the Makerua in the event of a good flood. The Makerua was a thickly populated area and the time had come for a show down. Mr. Seifert said he had spoken in a similar vein. The upshot was an agreement to send a chart of banking levels of that section of the river to Mr. Fawcett and if the bank at Spring’s were found to be a menace, it should bo lowered accordingly. Trustee J. D. Aitchison: “Who is to be judge of these levels?” Mr. Seifert: “It looks like Mr. Fawcett. If things are allowed to pass in that fashion we have every right to raise our own banks.” Mr. Seifert also stated that Mr. Fawcett had intimated at the meeting that he did not want to receive any more letters of that nature. Trustee I. Croad: He shouldn’t take on that sort of job if he can’t take it! After further discussion it was decided to send another letter to Mr. Fawcett asking for a definite statement as to his responsibility in the matter. Mr. Lowry, M.P., has been contacted by the board and has promised to look into the posi-