Silting of Waikato to be Investigated

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 745, 19 August 1929, Page 10

Silting of Waikato to be Investigated

INSPECTION OF RIVER MINISTER PROMISES REPORT MERCER. Saturday. The question of 1 the silting of the Waikato River and the consequent flooding of swamp land was placed before the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, on Saturday, in the course of an official inspection of the Waikato River. The Minister promised to spend £1,500 on a report. The Minister was accompanied by Messrs. J. A. iXassey, W. Lee AXartin. A. W. Hall, F. Lye, M.P.’s. The Franklin, Raglan and Waikato County councils, Hamilton Borough Council. Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and Kuntly Town Board were represented Also present were:—Mr. F. W. Furkert, engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department; Mr. J. B. Thompson, Under-Secretary of Lands, and engineering officials of the Public Works Department.

The pdrty boarded the river boat Manuwai at Huntly shortly before b o’ciock and proceeded to within a few miles of the Waikato Heads, returning late in the evening. Parties of settlers were taken on board at Rangiriri. Mercer and Tuakau. FLOODED AREAS

In addressing the Minister on the subject of silting, Mr. Lee Martin. M.P.. pointed out that thousands of acres were affected by flooding, and he asked that the engineers give the question every consideration.

Mr. A. Smith, who spoke on behalf of the settlers at Rangiriri, said tlie difficulties fu-esented could be overcome. The debris obstructing the fx-ee flow of the waterway might be that from past ages, but he was emphatic that the problem of drainage had been accentuated by the silt and sand consequent on the commencement of the hydro-electric works at Arapuni.. Sandbanks had formed in the river, with the result that its velocity was retarded. 1-Ie urged that the profits derived from the Arapuni operations should be set aside for the electi-ical development of the swamp areas. BENEFIT TO SETTLERS

The chairman of the Raglan County Council, Mr. Campbell Johnston, impressed upon the Minister the necessity of doing something to drain the district south of Mercer. The drains were carrying increased water from year to year. He urged that a report lie furnished by the X 3 ublie Works Department engineers. The silting of the river had been proceeding for 3'ears. and if it was possible to prevent it at a reasonable cost, the settlers alongth© banks of the Waikato River, the AVaipa and other tributaries would benefit accordingly.

Mr. F. Lye, M.P., also stressed the necessity of a report. The solving* of the problem might be costly in the initial stages, but tlie result spread over a number of years would warrant the expenditure.

Mr. J. Dean, of the Franklin Counts* Council, dealt with the advantages of hydro-electricity and pointed out that at Aka Aka and Otaua, in the lower regions of the Waikato River, electric pumps were removing water from swamp lands and ejecting it over stopbanks into the river. The Public Works Department engineers should investigate the possibility of pumping on night loads.

Messrs. J. N. Massey and A. W. Hall, M.P.’s. asked for a report to be furnished on the problem. “From a commercial standpoint. Hamilton is in accord I ith the settlers.” said Mr. J. R. Fow, the Mayor. Mr. T. Hinton, chairman of the Waikato County Council, also lent his support to the other speakers. TREES HELP FORM SANDBANKS Mr. E. T. Frost, of Tuakau, who claimed 40 years of continuous association with the river, said it was necessary to formulate some scheme to lower the bed of the river. In the last decade the alder tree had spread more rapidly than the willow. and was responsible for forming new sandbanks. The silt from Arapuni had accentuated the problem. “The unanimous opinion of today is for a comprehensive report on the river,” said Mr. Lee Martin. If an engineering report was presented showing some feasible scheme, finance could be dealt with later. MINISTER’S REPLY The Minister said he would authorise the expenditure of a sum up to £1,500 for a comprehensive engineering report, the -work of which would be undertaken as early as possible. The matter, he stated, would receive careful consideration by the Government. “1 do not use this in a light sense,” he said. He had inspected a number of rivers and each had peculiarities of its own. The Waikato, however, was not concerned with erosion or stopbanks, as others were, but it was possible that this aspect would have to be dealt with at a later day. Dealing with the silting problem. Mr. Ransom stated that, taking into consideration the length and the capacity of the river, and the amount of erosion at Arapuni, it would not cover the whole bed of the river to a depth of half an inch Immense quantities of silt were carried out to sea and distributed along the coast. “You will receive protection in the future from the dam across the river, it will more than compensate for the silting in the past.” he said. He agreed that the district was undoubtedly entitled to a share of the profits from the Arapuni electrical undertaking, as were other districts. In other localities in the Dominion pumps operating at night were doing good work. This would follow in the future. but not immediately; perhaps when the river was under control.

“We can propound a scheme of works, but it is a question whether it can be done at a figure that would be a commercial proposition.” said Mr. Furkert "The settlers have to be prepared to do a great deal after the engineers.”