MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD.

Shannon News, 16 June 1922, Page 2

MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER BOARD.

FOXTON FAVOURS CONSTITUTION. OVERFLOW CHANNEL IMPERATIVE. The vagaries of the Manawatu River along its tortuous course has caused settlers a good deal oi thought, but up to the -present no comprehensive scheme has been adopted to deal with the flood Avaters which spread over thousands of acres of fertile land during flood time, rendering it unproductive to the district and State. A Royal Commission was set up some years ago and went exhaustively into the question and recommended two cuts to deal with the overflow, one via Himitangi and the other lower down, commencing from Walden’s corner and coining out at Nye’s mill; and continuing through Matakarapa, thus giving the congested waters a more direct outflow, in order to protect their lands higher up, the private banking scheme has been commenced at Makerua. A Board is in the process of formation tb deal comprehensively with the flood w.aters of the Manawatu and Oroua Rivers.

At last meeting of the Foxton Borough, the Mayor said a meeting of delegates, representative of the proposed Manawatu-Oroua River Board district and the Foxton Harbour Board had been held to ascertain if the Harbour Board was opposed to the formation of a Board or objected to the cutting of an overflow chaunel. The Board, he said, raised no objection, provided the channel did not in any way prejudice the port of Foxton.

The Mayor moved a motion endorsing the proposal as, he said, an overflow channel from Walden’s corner to come out at Nve’s mill would continue in the present channel from there on, and would mean the recovering of thousands of acres from inundation by floods. The proposed cut was of the utmost importance to Foxton, which depended for its prosperity on the productivity of the land around it.

It was decided that the Council endorse the proposals. Crs. Bryant and Thompson voted against the motion.