THE WAIPOUA OVERFLOW.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1892, 19 January 1885, Page 2

THE WAIPOUA OVERFLOW.

A MEETiffo of pereona interested in the above was,held in .County-offices' on Saturday,, - Present—Messrs Buick,: W. H. Beetjiam, Chftmberlain, Welch, :Camp■bell, v, *Mr Bemam *was voted'to'the'-Chairv arid .read the report of' Mr Blaekett asfollows p-

, Tha ivorks propose)! by.the settlors ,»nd .teitorfceil tDA' W j the' 800 "ftould'iila duTby'Jihg G&yemMeiit for tl^'-pi*fi^o6S^ : on ui that vicinity/'ThaHtispe'cting Engineer, who has personally examined the ground: and even iF these works were, carried out they" would afford no permanent security ;and that the river might at any time break through them and injure, the railjyay and road. He proposed'' A'"' pfc" : by -which the flood ,wa.t.e.rsshiill have no chance of damaging-eiiheE'Voad l -or railway'; but' by whicli"','they' Will be returned;!' partlylntwVbhi/Waipoua, and diverted partly'into the - Ruamahunga, This would be accomplished by gilding a dam ■across a narrow part of the Waipipi stream at B on, tracings -at; the lowerend of a awampj tKia being the outlet by which the flood-jratefß-Jjay'e access to the road arid' iii'ilWf .at ! A'.'dn tracing, ..The (jaijj irqu^lje pass through, but in time .of .overflow andfloods from : the" Waipia a. get of selfacting , sluices, would" clbse'/tlre openings ,aj\d water finding vent inVthin-stream over a large. maliu'nga river, This la sliown on tlio. tracing'iftsue:cplqr.: .The < dam..would,'athigh flood, impound about 120. acres, then'as the flood fell the sluices would gradually and' the stream .would" resume its ordinaiy amount of flow. This work :is .estimateil to .cosfc .abqut $1QOO; and for securing the .nkini'rdad julii rail-. way from damage, and' probably deatruction, I should .recommend its adoption; It is almost certain, however, to. meet with opposition from the landholders? interested, and it might be neoessary to' purohase area coyereff by swamp but I think if; the- scheme was fairly, 4aici' before them that it 'might be shown that' .it would really be-to to ; advantage of the district especially, in preserving road-and 1 railway communication, and it must- be bourne in mind that whatever sums may . be spent in maintaining the banks of the Waipouathat thedefences'erected thereon, are almost oertam, sooner or later to be breached.in yeiy;hlgh floods and the adjacent lands will b'e subject to damage as-, before • and-, worse .than all partial dostruc;tj'Oiy J )Vtho runs of the Waipipi Stream, ut ■ .This'-pontlngeney would be averted by building the dam as pro* posed. Should the dam nofc. be barltand only ordinary protective works be built along tho river, and should .the river break -through -them and- establish a new channel by way of the Waipipi stream tlje road bridge and railway bridge would be deatroyed and wpuld.have, to' be rebuilt at alcost cjf 'Beveral; tfrousahi} qf pound?. '"V ' • j

Jpp Bucket?. . Mr Oagg jras. spme\vhat'.inconsistent qn' the' part of tp estimate their ?hare.pf the post.at £400,. when'they said tlie! injury wpulcl be thousands of pounds to them if the work was net done in their way, The - Chairman: The report does not say what.proportion of. water, would return to the Waipoua, but their engineer, Mr Bremnw, .was'.qf■ .'opinion that:'iho greater portion" of it' wdul'S' go into the Ruamah'anga, and very considerable damage njiglft tye done to Mi' Dorset's and other properties, ' " Mr Herbert estimated the damage tp the settlers at £ISOO when he wa3 last in Wellington!'

The Chairman said if the water was dammed back it. might deposit a good valuable f ■ a\id thus-Improve: the.' land , r _ Mr T. Dlianjlierlftin was of opinion that if the Government plan was adopted they would soon have the whole of the WaipM down'.tha.t way, andHhey. would, have-' pay thousands. ; of • pounds, in tion, and it would necessitate 'building twp new at the Miki-Miki and Opaki lines." ; ; Mr Herbert said it w<?uld damage all the properties at the back ef the dam, and all those properties' wpuld"' he under water right inte the Qrowi) Lands. - Mr Dfigg said tliere ffas gijother - thing' to consider, tho increase ;to .the force qf the Riiamahanga: which, was' already bad enough in'a flood, this would cause-serious, damage below and ball for compensation. Mr Bremner was called in and the report read to him and his opinion asked as to the effect to Mr Douglas' property.if. the erection of the dam was . carried out: Mr Bremner said he. .was. decidedly of opinion that, an overflow from the lake_ caused -.bfy thoidam -wPuld • go through ; 3fr : Douglas'property before it would rise'to the peight required,' 15ft, .to. reach the friyer.--.'. Also two' roads would be destroyed'ai>d q, bridge necessi-, tated, It would iwnd'aio considerable area .pf countiy,- almost to 'to school-.-house - from; the .Pairaif swanjp,' There' was no doubt-if: they left' the -Waipipi-j creek-.open the wateiv would find a: permanent course that'way, The Government would have to provide compensation to tho of properties on the banks of the Ruamahunga from Douglas' property to the present junction of the Waipoua and Ruamahunga. Chamberlain was inclined to'think the' best,scheme was that of Mr Bremner's. • •

Tlio Chairniaii said'JVlr Bremn'er's plan would necessitate constant' watching and rernpyaj of logs. . " " Mrßremner--said that was si), but his scheme would certainly give immediate relief, which the Government' plan would' .not, but instead would be the oauseof certain damage; ; ' .'•The Chairman said if they were, in a position to purchase Herbert's swamp and erect a permanent wall which would; prevent the water going Douglas' way that would, do, but Mr Buick'fland would be'injured, Mr R. Campbell said it would require a Wall a mile long to do that. Mr Bremner'aaid the main body of water was flowing through Waipipi now. He noticed the water as he came down was considerably discolored above that point and quite clear when it got to Masterton. ' ""

Mr T. Brqwn asked if jt would not be ' advisable to'ask Mr Blackett'to fiorne jip and see 'the damage -liiniself. " The Ghiiirniari said the' report' stated that' a . personal inspection had been made to ~tlie' Govermpnt' Inspecting Engineer, who had estimated % Government liability'-at-£4OO. The repprt jeemed rather contradictory. It'saidtf the river theWaipipl, it would ijecessitatSre-build-ing the railway and road'bridga at a'cogfc of several thousands. Surely the Government share of ' its ptoposed remedy should exceed £4OO to save property that might be damaged to'the extent as stated/ ' Mr Dagg ■ ftio'ved' and.'; Mr.Herbert seconded. That . the settlers 'oannot dgree' with the plana, suggested by the Government, and'that a Committee bo appointed to prepare, a reply- explaining, the reasons - for differing.-With the.:Goveim^t v plahV' and'Mopting those.' of 'at .more .foiaableV ;.thji' rto.' conaiafc-

of the .Chairman, and Messrs.. Buick, Herbert, T. Brown, and Chamberlain, with power to add to their number,— Carried. ,

The Chairman said the Government did not realize the true position of the undertaking in. all its bearings. They might _sonsfepu(st a,-dam to prevent, injury at a .;bufc .they did-not seem to l-hye, estimated tligi damage'to properties »that«wonld accruo throiigh- 'the "danflfiihg up of this water, ...Jt was that ; the. Oomnfittee ' Sfictiild-gD up and thoroughly explore tlie "JefSlity," tKftt'. AftWildoH 'ftiid' draw' up their . report.aeoordiugly, ;