CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1191, 2 November 1882, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents]. ;o;

THE WAIPAOA RIVER CONSERVATION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —From time to time as you are aware, efforts have been put forth, though somewhat feebly, towards carrying out a scheme having for its object the conservation of the river embankment and the protection of property in the vicinity of the Waipaoa river liable to be inundated. These schemes resting on a somewhat narrow basis so far as the general object to be attained was concerned, terminated in failure. It is true that a gigantic proposal known as somebody or other's River Bill was drafted and brought before Parliament. Characteristic of the source from whence it emanated—it was bo thoroughly impracticable and unsuited to the wants of the’district—proposng as it did to tax persons holding property that nothing but a second deluge would affect this monstrosity in legislation died immediately after passing the first or second reading. Unfortunately for the ratepayers of the County of Cook they had to pay the funeral expenses. The time long since arrived when decided and united action should be taken towards having constructed protective works for the bank as well as protecting property situated in the vicinity of the river and liable to periodical inundation. Owing to the permanent improvements that are going on around, and the better quality of the stock that is now being depastured, every year largely adds 'o theliabilitv to enormous damage that would occur should a serious overflow take place of the banks of the Waipaoa river. What has taken place once may again eventuate, and old settlers can tell us of a flood that happened some five and twenty or thirty years ago, far exceeding in extent any that have since occurred. This I am fully prepared to admit is not a particularly cheerful outlook for the good people whose homes lie along the fertile banks of the Waipaoa, but 1 contend it shows conclusively the urgent necessity that exists for them to put their heads together and by joint action agree upon a plan that will be as far as possible mutually advantageous to all. The abseuc* of proper legislation for enabling the question to be dealt with by the ratepayers iu a practical manner has hitherto prevented anything like what might be termed a general scheme for the protection of property from the river encroachment and overflow being entered into. No such excuse for inaction can, however, be any longer offered. Looking over the Roads and Bridges Construction Act of last session it appears to me that ampl<9 provision is therein made for enabling local governing bodies in the district to set in earnest about erecting .embankment and other works of a protective nature and of such a character as would for the future,-, ku flung.r. kki ’

siblc ruin to settlers holding property liable : to be flooded. The long-wanted legislation that has re- I cently taken place regarding Maori lands, | has given to this district facililities for sub- i dividing and determining disputes as to title to such blocks as the well-known i Makauri and other such agricultural land of | that class, situated near the banks of the ’ Waiapoa, and more or less liable at times to | be inundated. With these newly gained j advantages hitherto unpossessed by statute it ! is scarcely unreasonable to suppose they will ' in due time contribute to causing an increase in the number of holdings, as well as to the population, and the general progress of settlementt. But, sir, this view of the prosperity for the district that looms in the not very far distant, becomes somewhat dimmed when we contemplate the fact, that as the wealth of that part of the district increases, so’ also, in even more than an equal | ratio does, the flood-destroying power of the Waipaoa become augmented. Now, sir, what is the remedy for all this ? As we all know the great stumbling-block in the way of carrying out the necessary precautionary measures to guard against the dreaded evil, has been one that involved the consideration of ways and means. In tho absence of funds we were left to our fate, with nothing to do but wait tor the river to rise, and as the 1 flocks and herds swept past our view, look ! calmly on and simply exclaim kismet. Sir, 1 there need be no more difficulty about the ' 1 monetary part of the subject. That difli- I , unity, judging from the machinery placed at i tne disposal of the ratepayers by the Roads . i and Bridges Construction Act for raising I funds.seems to be removed. The Act clearly provides, itiler a!in, that when “any local , body” desires to obtain an advance for river : works within its jurisdiction, it shall make ! application to the Minister of Public Works, forward him estimates of the cost of ilsu proprosed works, also plans • and specifications where necessary, and ' if that gentleman is satisfied that the i estimates of cost are reasonable, and that certain details of the Act as to taking a poll i of the rat op .yers and so forth are complied • with, the money, or as much of it as can be • granted by the Act, will be lent to the “ local body.” The mode of repaying the money thus borrowed is by means of a special rate: the time of payment extends over fifteen years ; the payments to be made by “jifteen equal yearhi insialuients each of which shall Le equal to nine per centunV on the amount of the loan. The Act provides that when it is shewn that the proposed protective river works arc for tne special benefit of a particular part of the district the local body taking the matter in hand defines the particular part, and the ratepayers within that boundary are the persons who vote for or against the proposed loan, and decide the amount of special rate to be levied. So far the power rests with the people themselves. Thus we see should the the ratepayers on each side of the Waipaoa river, between Kaiteratahi and the mouth of the Waipaoa river, or say the first-mentioned place thence to Ormond, on to Makauri to the seaside of Matawhero, desire to raise the sum of £3OOO for the purpose of constructing protective river works at Ormond, embankments at Makauri, other works at Matawhero, and so on ; it is, under • the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, , within the power of the County Council to define such district specially i e -efitted Iy such i works. It will be seen that for the sum of j £3OOO, a special rate of £450 a year for 15 i years, being the annual instalment asked by the Government, would require to be levied. No doubt £lOOO pounds spent in the direction named would, at the present time, go a long way to saving the Matawhero district and round by Makauri, from any damage by flood likely to ensue next winter for such a sum a special rate of £9O a year for 15 years would be required. Would not the ratepayers of the County be “ casting their bread upon the i waters ” by taking some such action as I have ; endeavored, though somewhat roughly, to ; shadow forth. The enhanced value to pro- ' perty would irameasureably recoup the ratei payers for their special rates. “ Time is the I essence of the contract. ” 7ms all the information as to estimates, plans, and specifications, are forwarded to the Minister of Public Works before the Ist of Jan., 1883, this district will be too late to derive any benefit for roads, bridges, or river works under the Act above quoted for practically 12 months, if even then. No time, therefore, should be lost, and if I may be permitted to throw out a suggestion, it would be that at the earliest possible date the Chairmen of the various local bodies of the district should meet, and fix upon the different public works required to be carried out, and for which the Roads and Bridges construction Act provides for granting loans. This letter has gone far beyond its intended limits, but, pray accept the importance of the subject as sufficient apology for my trans-gression.—-Yours, etc., M. J. Gannon.