THE WAIKATO RIVER

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 335, 4 December 1917, Page 4

THE WAIKATO RIVER

Excursion to the Heads Some Interesting Views All who made a trip from Hamilton to the Waikato Heads (says the " Waikato Times") ou a recent excursion were greatly impressed with the possibilities of the river navigation scheme. Appended are the opinions of a few representative men: MB J. A. YOUNG'B OPINION Mr J. A. Young, M.P., who was one of the party, interviewed, said that it was just about twelve months since he last made the trip on the river, and since that time he was struck witJi the remarkable indications of the extent to which traffic has grown, as evidenced by the increased number of river craft. On the lower reaches of the river there was no doubt that the settlers, including the natives, were milking on their own farms, using their own launches in connection with their business. Many parts of the country adjacent to the river hitherto carrying nothing but fern and ti-tree, were now being brought into use, which all was an indication that the river was coming into its own as an agency for settlement, and the development of a large portion of the interior of the Auckland Province. He found that as an outcome of the recent extension of the river service, under the auspices of the Waikato Shipping Company, that at the Waikato Heads, about 100 miles from Hamilton, the names of our enterprising business firms in Hamilton were well-known to the settlers. The latter were now availing themselves of the facilities afforded by cheap transit and direct delivery which was at their disposal. Mr Young added that this trade on the river was only in its initial stages, and he had no doubt that in. due course the Government would recognise the great value of the river in making for the opening up of large tracts of good land not yet productive, and he trusted that the day was not far distant when some competent governing authority would control the navigation of the river, and be empowered to mark all channels and keep them open in those few places where difficulty was experienced. TEADE WITH SYDNEY Mr Pearson, representing a large manufacturing concern in Sydney, went with the object of making enquiries as to the possibility of using the river for conveying materials direct to Sydney. He was well pleased with the prospects, and would like to see a scheme put into operation in the near future for making the river a safe highway. GREAT POSSIBILITIES MrG. H. Wallace, President of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, has had a good deal of experience of tidal rivers, and he states that if there is an improvement effected in the shallows of the Waikato, and a proper channel made, the Waikato must become a great commercial highway. To suit business men there must be, at least a weekly trip, and untiljthe Shipping Company is sufficiently patronised to warrant this service the shippers and the public cannot derive the full benefits of a cheaper water carriage. He noticed the great use the farmers on the banks are putting the river to in the transport of goods and produce as ihown by the number of launches seen.

NOT A COSTLY MATTER Mr J. Barugh, chairman of the Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd , said that the river as one leaves Hamilton is very beautiful and very useful if it had a decent outlet. At the present time, the river, after passing fluntly, is so much hampered by shifting sands and shoals which render it of not more than a quarter the value it should be. I believe the Waikato could be more easily put in order now for navigation than it would have been 40 years ago. I have come to this conclusion through my experience of willows growing on the edge of the water. From Hamilton to Mercer both sides are clad with willows The latter, aseveryone knows form mat-like roots which help to keep embankments in place. There are islands in the river, most of them long and narrow, which aie fringed by willows keeping the sand, of which they aro formed, from being washed away. The trees and their network of roots have made it quite possible to put in cheap groynes or poles with a willow attached which would grow and collect sand round them. I think the river could be turned downthedeeper routes and scour out the channels between the islands and the main land and soon make good navigable passages. If this had been attempted 40 years ago the results would have been that the islands, which are solely of sand and with no protection that the willows allow, would have been shifted by the current. But now 1 do not think this would be the case. Th® same applies to places in the river where the banks are very low. A good many years ago, before the protecting willows wore planted groynes might have turned the iiver inland sufficiently to stop the eifect of any groynes that might have been putin then. I believe £IOOO spent in judiciously planting willows in the river and fastening them sufficiently strong to prevent them being washed away for a year or two will have tho deairod eifect. Sand would collect and soon turn the stream into the channel selected. These are my impressions, but as I do not know anything about this kind of work I give'tho opinion for what it vs woith. IMITATK NATURE

Mr J. S. Bond, of the Auckland Harbour Board, considered that for the present, to carry on the work of improvements, the Public Works Department should be asked to vote a sum to that end. This would serve to carry on the work until the Auckland Inland Waterways Commission was resumed. All those at present concerned in the trade on the nver should do everything iu their power to help the Shipping Company in its work. To clear the channel the building of groynes should be continued. Nature has given us a lesson in the manner which the present islands have been formed, and it is quite possible that in imitating her methods the channel can bo con-

fined and the river made to scour itself out. One could not be but struck with the immense possibilities for carriage of goods on the Waikato.