DEVELOPMENT OF MAKERUA.

Otaki Mail, 1 November 1922, Page 4

DEVELOPMENT OF MAKERUA.

DREDGE BEGINS OPERATIONS. AN AUSPICIOUS COMMENCEMENT. The Makerua Land Drainage Board reached another milestone yesterday in the huge scheme of development which it has taken in hand in the Makerua swamp country. Some time ago the Board determined on the pro- j lection from floods of the big areal l'erence for soft, fine goods, has been I lying on the south-east side of the Maiiawatu River between Linton and Shannon, the idea, being to convert the land into dairying property owing to it becoming denuded of flax through the yellow-leaf disease. A banking scheme along the river was put in hand to prevent tlie incursion of flood waters, and up till now between 15 and 16 miles have been completed by a fine Marion excavator, which has proved a great success. The scheme also provided for the opperatian of a dredge of the Marion type for drainage and banking purposes within the area which the main bunking system was encloaingi Kara creek, on the main road between Shannon and Makerua, was selected us a convenient site for constructing the dredge and the undertaking has been duly completed, and launched on its mission of usefulness, The official function took place yesterday, when tne first bucket of spoil Was raised from the floor of the cut and deposited on the bank. - A REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING.

As was fitting, the Makerua Board had prepared a function in keeping with the importance of the occasion, and a large and representative gathering assembled to witness the initial operation oi the digger which is destined to make tiie mud fly to 'some purpose in the Makerua swamp. In addition to Messrs. Joseph Liggins (chairman) ,H. Akers, R. T. Bell and R. Tippler, of the Drainage Board, representatives of the Kairanga County Council, Horowhenua County Council, Munawntu Drainage Board, Man.awatu River Board, Horowhenua Power Board and Shannon Borough Council, Public Works and County Council engineers, residents of the adjoining district, in addition to a large number of ladies were present. DEALING WITH DRAINAGE PROBLEM. Alter an inspection of the dredge and machinery, (he chairman of the Board (Mr Liggins) set the machinery in motion, and directed the discharge of the first, bucket of material. Thereafter, the dredge went on with its work, and the expeditious way in which it operates, moving huge, quantities of spoil in a minimum of time, shows the machine to be thoroughly fitted for the ta f sk before it. In addressing the gathering, Mr Liggins said the trustees of tlie Board, were very pleased to see such a large and representative gathering present, at the official starting of their dredge. After touching on the early history' of the Makerua swamp and its sub-divi-sion and sale. Mr Liggins stated the next question that arose was that Of drainage. A canvass of the district was made, and the Governor was petitioned to form a special drainage district, and after some rather strenuous opposition on the part of adjacent owners, and even of owners in the district, the Board was formed and the district gazetted. Loans were tlien raised, and Board and private drains cut. which drained the land sufficiently to grow vast fields of flax, ‘and many mills were erected to deal with the flax. After about 10 years of prosperous flax-milling came the blights of various kinds and root fungus, which up to now had destroyed nearly all the flax between Makerua and Linton, and extending from tiie railway line to ilie Manawatu River.

Then came the question of how to deal with this land denuded of flax to make it. productive. Mr Alfred Seifert visited America, on a health trip and informed the trustees of the fine work done in America by steam dredges. He advised the Hoard 1o purchase a Marion dredge at a cost of some £II,OOO. Then came the question of raising ‘he money. Authority was given by the ratepayers to the Board to raise a loan of £IOO,OOO by debentures, the authority being signed by every ratepayer. So the Marion dredge was bought. This dredge would dig and' deposit where required H yards of earthwork in sixteen seconds. Since starting work the dredge has completed 13?. miles of bank, from Akers’ homestead at. Linton to Whitanui mill, near Shannon. There were about seven or eight miles more to do to complete the banking of the Manawatu River. The floating pontoon dredge, which

was starting operations that day, was f of somewhat different construction. Mr A.fred Seifert inspected many dredges, and the dredge which the Board had purchased was the result of his advice. The pontoon was built on the ground of Oregon timber. No timbers here were of sufficient length. The cost of the 'dredge would be about the same as the. first dredge, £II,OOO. The present dredge was intended to go from ft ; present site to the mouth cf the Tokomaru stream, then rfghtthrough to Linton, via the Tokomaru River- and main drain, cutting Its way as it goes, making a channel 24ft wide, 'and depositing the spoil 'each I side to' form the banks. The area of l me Makerua lands was about 20,000 | acres. The land Was very rich, being j the deposit of ages, the work of the i Manawatu and Tokomaru Rivers. I THE BOARD'S THANKS. "At this time I desire to thank Mr A. Seifert for his work and timer in inspecting dredges in America,” the chairman continued. "This work lie lias done at his own cost entirely. The thanks of the Board are due. also, to Mr Lougnnan In the matter of raising the debentures, and he also gave a great amount of his time and legal knowledge. The work of the enis not yet done, but as far as their work is carried on to the present it has. been well done, and the result

satisfactory. The trustees of t lie Board are Messrs. Akers, Bel I, Liggins, A. Seifert and Tippler. These trustees have given valuable time and thought, with the hope that on completion of tiie works they will have merited the thanks of the community they represent. 1 conclusion, 1 may say this is a work carried on exclusively by and for the ratepayers of the Board.” Mr Liggins staled further that valuable assistance had been rendered l>y Mr J. B. Thomson, engineer of tiie Government, drainage works at Hauraki. who was unavoidably absent that day. and from whom an apology bad been received. (Hear, hear.) "TWO BLADES OF GRASS.” Mr Joseph Linklnter. on helm If of tlie adjoining local bodies, (.hanked the Board for the invitation to be present, to witness the opening demonstration by the new dredge. "It is said,” the speaker continued, “that tlie man who grows two blades of grass where one grew before is doing a good service to the community. The Board had done more, for in these swamps where eels were once the only product, it was hoped to convert into prosperous farms.” Mr Linklater hoped the Board's undertaking would be quite successful. He commented on 'he construction of 16 miles of banking along the river, and said the use of similar machines for drainage work on the Hauraki Plains was a great success. With the Makerua made more productive—and what we want is more production—it would become one of the best districts in the whole-of New Zealand. He congratulated the Board on its enterprise, and wished its scheme every success.

SETTLERS HELPING THEMSELVES. Mr It. T, Bell, a member of the Board, stated that as a flaxmiller he realised that the yellow leaf was driving his land out of production. This was the view of the members of the Board, and in order to turn their unproductive land to better account, the Board had purchased the first dredge, and now the second machine was ready. He remarked that in similar work in the north the Government had assisted the settlers, but here the settlers had to help themselves, and were going to do their own job. '.Applause.)' The Makerua Board was only dealing with the land on this side ot the river. For years past the Makerua had been the spillway for "old man" floods, and had been regularly inundated, but tlie flax had saved owners from serious loss, though the number of stock destroyed was large. That condition, however, could not continue. and the owners had to protect themselves from floods. Modern machinery had now been installed for that putpose, arid when the scheme was fully realised, this piece of country would be unequalled in New Zealand. ;Hear. hear.' NOTHING LIKE FLAX.

Mr H. 'A. Seifert said he might be striking a discordant, note, but he thought his father (Mr A. Seifert) held the same opinion a? the speaker Ihnt flax was the most profitable of any form’ of farming, and flax was the true crop for that country. Captain Pfeece, of Palmerston North, stated that reclamation through drainage would make the district go ahead, and the district must have a great future. The Drainage Board entertained the Targe company in liberal style, and visitors altogether spent an interesting time, [THE DREDuE. The new dredge, which gave an excellent demonstration of its possibilities yesterday, is of the bucket type, the whole' of the plant being installed on a pontoon. The bucket operates at the end of a huge shovel handle, which piece of machinery works through a massive “jib" of eight or nine tons in weight, supported by substantial stays. The great bucket, weighing' close, on two tons itself, is

a- deiliy handled as (hough it weighed as many pounds, arid plunged below wafer emerges again in a few seronds filled with spoil. Yesterday 'he hurket was being filled and emptied twice in a little over a minute. The work of moving the dredge along the cut is another simple operation, done by rho dredge's own power. The dredge will have one mile of country to cut before reaching the Tokornaru Hirer, and the business-like way in which it tackled the job yesterday seems to indicate it will fulfil everything expected of it and that it will play no sma'l part m the future of the Makerua. Mr C. K. Taylor, who has charge of the construction of the pontoon and installation of the machinery, under tiie supervision of die Board's engineers. Messrs. .licked and Giinmur. was in charge of the machinery yesterday. and to him much of the success of the demonstration was due.