RIVER BOARDS AND RIVER DAMAGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 30 July 1929, Page 6

RIVER BOARDS AND RIVER DAMAGE

iTo thn Editor) Sir. li is pleasing Jo know that Motueka ;ii lasi has determined I i have ,i, live, board li is certainly nut before time, ii.wii.Ti (his estop Ikvn iindertilu',; without ample warnings in times p.cii li; the last disastrous flood (he rive.;' ha- been a .swift bringef of desti.icliun to good settlers, who now see ;i life lime's work swept away, and thein.-.elvcs mulct in heavy loss through no fault of lli/ir own and by circumstances over which they h;ivy absolutely no control. Some df what (he earthquakes left the Hoods have carried away, and the earth quake fund should be stretched in order to render some help to people who most certainly are deserving of help at, this time. Blenheim furnished a very good example of wha( a river board could achieve. Blenheim ii, day, and I lie whole territory around Blenheim, is comparatively safe in what it was twenty years ago, and it is just a matter for Nelson to consider whether it, too, should lake a similar step in the establishment of a river board. The damage done in recent Hoods by both the Brook and the Maitai are "by no nleans light matters to the unfortunate people affected, and might have been avoided by a little more foresight if exercised by responsible bodies in the past. As "things stand, morn damage is impending, and this at, all costs should he avoided whilst yel there is time. The Maitai as one example is seriously encroaching on the southern side below the new bridge. Nothing is more certain than that a considerable stretch will go on the town side if nothing is done, and judging by experience nothing will be done unless llie people are aroused (o the danger threat ening. I am, etc., OBSERVER. Nelson. 7jolh J ill v.