THE CANAL SCHEME.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 130, 23 September 1913, Page 2

THE CANAL SCHEME.

IMPORTANT PROPOSALS FOR WAIUKU. PROPOSED LOCK AT THE NEEDLES. A WORK OF MAGNITUDE.

S=ven m'-nibers of the Auckland i Harbour Board, the engineer and secretary, started on Thursday 01 a two dajs' tour of Manukau Harbour. The party left Onehunga about nine o'clock, ard visited the wharves and harbour endowments on the way to Waiuku. Soma time was spent at the Needle", where the question of the proposed lock was discussed. The evening was spent at Waiuku, and on the return journey the party visited various arms cf the Manukau, including those leading to Drury, Karaka and Weymouth. The members who made the trip were the chairman (Mr J. H. Gunson) and Messrs W. B. Leyland, W. E. Hutchison, J. Fisher J. S. Bond, H. R. Mackenzie and C. Bagley.

"THE MAKING OF WAIUKU." Mr McKenzie, member Of this cojnty on the Harbour Board, said he had not the slightest doubt that a work lika this would bs the making of Waiuku. The value of their land, he considered, would be Increased 25 percent., so that with the Is an acre rate they would b? mure than compensated. With the large body of water that it wa? proposed to retain they would have one of the best tourist resorts in the Auckland district. The lo:k would be one of the future works of the canal and he considered as farming people they ware going to have the railway also; the bittle of routes had not properly started yet, but when the railway came they would need the lock and the canal more than ever. Manchester, he said, which was tha home of canals, was teaming with railways. "BOON TO THE DISIRCT." Mr C. Bagley said the people of Waiuku had to thank Mr Gunsun for the taking over of the Manukau harbour by the Auckland Harbour Board. He urged all present to seriously consider the proposal submitted that night, which would te such a boon to their district. "NOT MILITATING AGAINST RAILWAY. 1 ' Mr W. B. Layland said tlio Board were most anxious to co-operate with th 9 settlers over this matter. He thought there was a feelinjj that by favouring this water-way they might be against their militating railway. This was not the case; he argued the canal would make the railway more necessary. There were up to the present no lo:ks in New Zealand or Australia, but in Canada there were plenty, and the result had been to increase the number of railways. He considered that both railway and canal could be consistently worked for by the same person. "CERTAIN RAILWAY IS COMING."

Waiuku was reached about 3 p.m. on Thursday, and after tea at the Kentish Hotel the commodious ciring-room was cleared of tables and filled with seats and forms. A large number ci residents and representatives from the surrounding districts assembled to hear tha proposals that were to be submitted by the Board.

PUBLIC MEEI'ING. Mr J. H. Gunson was elacled chairman of the meeting, and in his opering remaiks said they were there that night '.o redeem the promiss made a fortnight ago, that they would enquire into the circumstances for Riving better facilities at this port, and submit soma scheme to the people of Waiuku. They had now gathered sufficient data to enable them to make a proposal. Ihe Board considered that Waiuku's claim would have their fi< at consideratijn in the Manukau Harbour outside ol Onehunga. "But," he said, "we are cot prepared to do anythhg unless you are willing to help yourselves." This he cortidered was a fair argument, Before going further he would like the public men of Waiuku to state what improvements they considered necessary.

Mr Hodgkinson said better facilities were needed for the handling of cargo at the wharf; he favoured a lack at the Needlei if ways snJ mears could be found of building one.

Mr Fisher, chairman Waipa County Council, raid be was positive their railway was coming, and he urged them to strike the iron while hot aid go for the canal too. l'hey would be in a unique poaition having two strings to their bow, and ha was au.e tnty would never regret it.

THE "MOST URGENT NEED." Mr Gunson: But what is your most urgent need in th« district? Mr H. E. K. L. Wily: The railway! He considered this a very inopportune time to consider tha canal scheme; as their railway was now practically assured the people were rot so interested in the canal as hitherto. "A SPLENDID THING'

Mr Band, representing Hamilton's interests, considered this was a Waikato question as much as Wa'uku, and they would bs quite prepared to pay their share of the lock as it would te a part of the canal scheme. The canal wouli be a very small matter in comparison to the lock, BACKWARDS OR FORWARD? Dr Howden said he thought VVaiuku had now arrived at a point where it could either go forward or back. Ihe speeches they bad listened to were from men who were personally disinterested in this district. He asked why should the Harbour Board go to all this trouble if it was not going to benetit tha district. He was sure with this scheme completed they would double the population ot the district in six year?. Mr J. T. Jone?, Waipipi, considered the secerns did not go far enough, it should include the canal as well as the lock. Mr S. Rossitsr believed the canal was inevitable, but it was the duty of the Waiuku people to take advantage of the lock. They had been here in the mud for the past 50 years, and this proposal was not going tc keep the railway back one iota. He thought a committea should be elected at once to go into the matter with tha Harbour Board.

Mr A. M. Barnball offered the Harbour Board members a hearty welcome to Waiuku. He believed they were here for the good and welfare of the district, but he thought they woulJ have been given a far more enthusiastic welcome a few years ago. Ha said ha was a strong advocate for the railway, but he believed a lock at the Needles would be a splendid thing for the district as well as for the Harbour Hoard. He instanced some freights they had to pay al present, and ha did i.o: think the railway would be so dear. Gocd3 that cost them 16s per ton came to Pukeicobe for about 6s.

Mr Brown asked if the Harbour Board would keep an open way fur th-:m, so that thsy could get up and clown the creeK at any tide. DKEUUING, OK A LOCK?

Mr GuiisjD, in reply, said they were not fcere as the vendors of goods; they were here reeling their responsibility as public men. As far as they were personally concerned the question di J not affect them, but he considered they would fail in their duties unless they gave the claims of this weflt'iy district due consideration. Whatever vws done, the decision would rest with the people of Waiuku, and not the Harbour Board. There were only two methods which wculd place Waiuku on a proper footing: one was to properly dredge the channel from the wharf to the Needles. There was no goad of entertaining the dredging scheme unless it was done in a thorough manner. They had taken a survey of the creek and had arrived at a closely approximate estimate. To make the channel 50 feet wide and allow 10 feet of water at low tide would necessitate the removal of about 430,000 cubic yards ot material, mud and sandstone. This was estimated to cost £57,000. Ihe other alternative was a lock at the Needles, and (o his view this was immeasurably the better echeme. (Applause.) A lock would leave them a magnificent sheet of water covering an area of some KOO acres of water, with 12 or IX miles for foreshore. This lock, 150 feet by 24 feet, would cost £50,000, or £7OOO less than the dredging scheme, and as far ta the Board were con- i cerned they had abandoned the dredging idea for the lack.

FAVOURABLE tiEVOLUTION PASSED. The following resolution was then proposoJ by Mr A. M. Barriball and carried unanimously:— "That this meeting, representing Waiuku interests, receives with satisfaction the proposal for a lock at the Needles which will receive careful consideration, and thi Board will re aimed at an early date as to a conference to further discuss the matter." Mr Ounson, in thanking them for the resolution, said now the Harbour Board had been twice to Waiuku, they would expect any further overtures to be made to them in Auckland.

The Harbour Board members then withdrew.

At a meeting to appoint a committee Mr S. Kossittr was elected chairman. In speaking of the proposal he said although they were rather astounded at the amount the work was going to est he felt the district warranted it. OTAUA WILLING TO PAY. Mr H. 0. Mellscp said he had ] spoken to numbers of people in Otaua, and they would be willing to pay 2j a.i acre to lwe the proposal adopttd. i Mr L. Mellsop considered it they [got communication such as a canal ! would allow it would double the j population. jj Mr Shakcsphere; Who is going to ' double it? (Laughter). J "TAKE TIME AND REFLECT." | Mr Wily thought they should take | time to reflect over a question of I tlis magnitude. He considered it j rather premature to do anything further that night, but thoujht a meeting should be called in, say, j three weeks to talk the matter over j and settle what should be done, and he would move to that effect, ivir Shakcsphere supported this idea,

Mr Hamer, engineer, showed j plans and drawings of the proposal ! and explained that there would be an [ embankment 24 l'eet wide which would act as a roadway right across 1 the creek; road approaches would | be mada on eithar side. With a! little dredging thiy would have 10 j feet of water at the wharf at all ( times and (here would be 10 feet to j 12 feet of water outside the Neediest at luw water. t

WILL WaIUKU TAY INTEREST? Mr Gunson said the Hoard were prepared to find the principal, but they wanted the district to xuarantee a substantial amount ol the interest. He showed plans whereby an area of uo.OOO acres would be involved for paying tha interest. He considered that Is an acre would be all that was ne:essary. Ihey proposed to divide the country into three areas; inside the inner area as the land thai would be primarily benefited, some 3600 acres, the second area enclosed some 10,000 acres aDd the outer a p ca 40,000 acres. This latter extended to the Waikato river and covered three miles wide on cither aide of the Awaroa creek.

A COMMITTEE FORMED. Mrsns Batriball, Kossiter, Hull, Craig, West and others considered there was no time like the present, and a resolution to form a committee at once was carried and the following were elected:—Messrs Rosaitcr, Craic, Dr Howdrn, R. Higginson, H, li. !!. t.. Wily, O. Mellsup, J. Herrold, J. GribbK, A. M. Barriball, Hodgkinsert, R. Hull, J. X. Jones, H. King and W. J. King.