PATEA RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1015, 30 March 1883, Page 2

PATEA RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— The suppositions in your article on the Harbour on Wednesday, referring to Mf Mace’s letter, will be likely to lead to further misunderstandings. The intent of Sir John Goode, as judged by his report, is to reduce the river to the despised “ canal dimensions,” this guide pier being one among other indispensible recommendations to that end, the ultimate object of which is to make the tidal and fresh waters flow through a properly proportioned outfall, and the more of the canal like guides, the greater velocity and the stronger the scour of both in. and outflowing- tides. ' Neither in'the report, nor" is it likely that in the letter to Mr Thomson , Sir John Goode expressed. himself that the guide,pier within the river heads could be dispensed with. Any suppositions; in this direction are likely., to—lead to more serious disagreements between our publjc meniinnd among: pihdividuel ratepayers (serious enough in all conscience) by furnishing erroneous:grounds for argument. In addition to the guide pier at the Heads, one use for which is to form the side of a basin, the western bank being the other side, to dissipate the heavier waves in rough weather, the report mentions two parallel rows of half-tide training sheeting to be erected along that portion of the river which is abreast of the sandhills! The sheeting on the right bank to be 1,480 feet long: ;that on the left 870 feet, thus making a low* water channel 200 feet wide. The space of channel between the lengths of wharves designed to run on both sides of the river is about the same width. Again"it is recommended that the sharp elbow above the bridge should be taken out, and a new .canal-like channel cut, to give speed to the flowing waters. At other points up the river, as opportunities present, the advantage of taking blit sharp bends was pointed out during Sir John Goode’s .inspection. •- ; The merits of the western or the guide pier, if not sufficiently well settled by Sir John Goode’s already expressed opinion, cannot be satisfactorily settled by nonprofessionals, except in the way put by him—if not sufficient money to undertake the larger' work, then the smaller will have good effect. It is all very well to say once the west pier is carried 500. feet the work ; must go on. The west pier is not out, nor so far as the public is aware has any feasible plan been propounded for raising the large sum required. There has been a dead stop for a long time, and there will have to be more general agreement within the harbour district before a fresh start ean be made, and better,ability in the Harbour Board.

I am of opinion a useful public service could be rendered by your reprinting Sir John Goode’s report on Patea Harbour, Since the report was first printed, the settlers, both in town and country, have more than doubled, and comparatively few are aware of the high estimate which Sir John Coode formed of the compact Patea river, There are none of the; reports now obtainable from ; Government store, all having been sold.-—I am, &c.,, James Kenworthy.