RIVER BANK PROTECTION.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1081, 17 June 1873, Page 2

RIVER BANK PROTECTION.

A very numerously attended meeting was held at the Masonic Hall on Saturday evening to consider and adopt a memorial to the General Government, pray that the necessary works should be undertaken to protect the town of Westport from further destruction by river encroachment. Dr Thobpe, who was called to the chair, said that the object of the ing would commend itself to all pre-

sent. The prayer to the General Government really was an appeal to seciire thn existence of Westport It was duly necessary, therefore, to bxplain that at a preliminary meeting, a memdrial had been drafted, which would be redd to the meeting, and a telegram had also been sent to the Minister of Public Works requesting that Mr Higginsoh, who was now in the district to report upon the Ngakawhaii and Westport Railway scheme, should, also be instructed to report upon the best means df protecting the town of Westport. He would read the reply received : a Wellington, 14th June. "John Corr arid J. W. Humphrey, WeStport. " The Minister of Public Works, who is absent at Christchurch, desires me to inforni you that Mr Higginson has been instructed to report on best means of protecting the banks of the Buller river, as you requested. " John Ejtowles, " Under Secretary." It was unnecessary to enlarge upon the subject, the meeting would be invited to adopt resolutions or to give expressions of opinion thereon. The community had suffered unparalleled hardships, aud had the strongest claim for assistance. The present site of the township, now in course of occupation, had been selected by a General Government officer, and also approved of as fit for settlement by the Provincial Engineer, but the recent flood had shown that it was as unsafe as the old township site, unless protected. The people themselves Were perfectly helpless in the matter, the cost of Such work being beyond their powers ; the Municipality, of which great things were anticipated, was riot yet in a position to take action, and the Provincial' Exchequer was always at low water mark, and hence it was useless to look there for the means of safety. Mr Flsher" proposed—" That the protection of the bank of the Buller River has become a work altogether beyond the resources of this community in its present crippled condition ; that it is hopeless to expect the Provincial Government to undertake the matter ; and that the meeting is therefore of opinion that immediate action should be taken to' induce the General Government, in view of the large export of coal which must ultimately take place from this port, and of the absolute necessity of something being done at once to save the harbor from destruction, to undertake the work as a matter of colonial as weli as local importance." In speaking to this resolution, Mr Fisher said it would be only necessary for those present to carry back their recollection for a very few years to the time when the town was enjoying what promised to be a lasting prosperity, but trouble had come upon them, they had been river sluiced, burnt by fire, compelled to remove their buildings four or five times in as many years, and had of necessity to submit to a gradual decadence c/f trade. The people had suffered heroically, battling with misfortune and trusting so far to their own energy and resources to retrieve their position,- bu't the last flood had come as a climax to their trouble. The scanty help given them by the Provincial Government in laying off a township and making an approach thereto was of little avail, for the new site was as unsafe as the old, arid they might anticipate that some day a huge flood might come and take the whole township away at one swoop. He thought it useless to expect the Provincial Government to make the necessary expenditure, although it might be induced to lend some assistance. The Provincial authorities had already spent some £ISOO in stone groins and temporary works, all of which had proved useless. Their spasmodic efforts having, gone to feed the flood. Mr Blackett had said that it was useless to attempt any works at a cost of less thau £IO,OOO, and he (Mr Fisher) believed that now that sum would not be found sufficient. That part of the resolution referring to the necessity of protecting the port for the purposes of the coal trade was, he thought, the strongest argument in favor of their memorial. The port was absolutely necessary for the extension of the coal trade, but it would be destroyed if not protected, for as the mouth of the river gradually widened the channel would shoal. It was the duty of the General Government who had assumed a policy of public works aud expansion of the resources of the colony, to prevent the port from being obliterated, for if such event happened it would be an irreparable injury to the colony. The people of Westport had therefore, apart from all considerations of their own individual claims to bo given a more secure tenure for their property, a strong claim for the preservation of the port. Mr Humpheet briefly seconded the resolution. Mr Crowell expressed a strong opinion that it would be useless to attempt to protect the town unless works were commenced up at Snag Falls to prevent the Buller river breaking through into the Orawaiti. Without an embankment was made there another flood or two would cut Westport off altogether, and leave it on an island; at present there was only a space of about one chain in width between the two rivers, and every fresh weakened it. . The Chairman- said he believed Mr Higginson had already visited and inspected that part of the river, and obtained some data as to tho rise and fall of the current. The subject would

be well worthy the attention of the deputation who would be. despatched to Wellington, furnished with all essential information in support of the memorial. Mr. Fisher thought Mr Cfowall's remarks might be accepted as strongly in .favo.r of the resolution, and a§ giving further proof of the necessity for immediate action. Mr CrioWEfci, said he had been od the river for seven years past, and had good reason to know the effect of its constant changes, and he told ,tho meeting just What he knew and had seen; they might ask for what thoy liked at Westport; bat they inust do something at Snag Falls. The resolutdh was piit and carried nem con. Mr It. Whyte proposed—'' That the following memorial to the Minister of Public Works be adopted; that as many signatures as pdssible be ob ? tained both here and in Nelson • and that the delegates who are sent iip by the Coal Committee to urge the construction of the railway be requested to take charge df ahd present the same." To the Honorable the Minister for Public Works; Coldny of New Zealand. The memorial of the undersigned residents and landowners in; and others connected with; the the Town of Westport; in the Province of Nelson; ShEWETH; That the Town of Westport is' situated on the Buller river, immediately above its mouth, as shown by the plan annexed heretd. 'that up to three years ago thd principal business part of the town stood on that portion of land marked red on the plan, the' whole df which, as well as a large extent of other township land; comprising in all about acres, has been wholly destroyed by the joint action of the river and sea, but principally by the former, involving an estimated money loss" of over £120,000. That those of your memorialists who' were located on the' latid thus de- . \ stroyed; were compelled,- at great \ expense,- to remove their buildings, sto'cks-in-trade, J&c, to' other sites farther up the river, many of which new sites have been, by the recent heavy flood; completely Swept away; necessitating further removals; with their attendant expense and inconvenience. That the losses thus occasioned have been, and still are; the means of greatly retarding the commercial prosperity of the port, and the development of the various mineral resources existing in its proximity, in consequence of the absorption of the capital, which would otherwise halve, been available for the furtherance of new enterprises, in repairing the ever recurring disasters sustained by the inhabitants. That at various times plans have been devised by the provincial authorities to endeavour to stay the further' encroachments of the river, aud sums of money have been expended in coni nectiofi therewith ■ but owing to the manner in which the works were carried out, the utter inefficiency of some, and the wan't of completion of others, the money thus spent has been wasted to no- purpose. That the immediate protection of the river bank in an efficient and permanent manner,- is vitally necessary to the very existence of the present site of the town of Westport, as in its present exposed condition, a succession! of such floods as the last would effectually obliterate it from the map of the colony,- drive away or ruin the inhabitants, grid probably destroy the harbor. That the port of Westport is the natural outlet to a very large extent of mineral and agricultural country, including, more especially,- the extensive coal seams known ds those of Mount Kochfort, Ngakawhi'a'tf, Waimangaroa &c, which must; at no <,, distant day, be a great source of coal supply to all parts of the colony. That the Buller river is natura'lfy by far the best port in the settled portion of the West Ceast of the Middle Island, having a depth of water on the bar of from' 14 to 18 feet, and being easy of access at all and during almost any weather. Your' memorialists are convinced- that a good protective work constructed On the north bank of the river frbtat the point where the stream first impinge on the bank to low water mark, would, not only secure a large extents: of valuable land, otherwise doomed to destruction, but would alss cause af large accession to the-trade and prosperity of the district, would provide, safe and sufficient wharf accommodation for storing and shipping the coal from the aforesaid fields, and would, by deepening the water on the bar, and thus improving the entrance to the river, provide a safe and accessible? harbor of refuge for the West Coast of the Middle Island. That the Customs Revenue collected at the port of Westport for the last six years from ordinary customs and gold duty, for the' term's ending 30th June, and 30th September respectively are as follows :

The decrease during the latter terms is to a large extent referable to the depressing influence exerted on the trade of the port by the insecurity of business and household property, and the absorption of all spare capital, as before explained, That'oWing tb the repeated heavy losses sustained by the inhabitants of the town, the requisite works Would be quite beyond their means to accomplish, and your memoralists have no grounds for bbping for atiy sufficient assistance from the Provincial authorities. That the town of Wbstport has been Tecently constituted* a Borough under the Municipal Act 18G0, but as the nomination for councillors does n'ot take place until the 7th July next; some time must necessarily elapse before the Borough Council Jvould be in a position to deal with the matter, and they would even then be debarred by the provisions of the act from borrowing sufficient money to undertake such a work. Tour memorialists, viewing the great interest which yourself and Colleagues have exhibited in endeavouring to foster the welfare of the colony by means of public works of various descriptions, and believing "that the maintenance of the integrity "of the port and town of Westport, may fairly, on the grounds stated, be considered a question of colonial as well as local importance, do, with some confidence and great anxiety, venture to hope that you will favorably 'consider this their prayer, to take such steps as are needful to have the necessary Works carried out by the General Government, either out of the funds provided under the Public Works Act 18 , or in such other "manner as you may deem advisable. Mr Itati Graves seconded the resolution, which was carried amid applause. The C&aibman, in responding, thought the thanks of the meeting were justly "due to the few residents \ who had taken the trouble to prepare the memorial and initiate such an eminently practical movement as the -present. He intimated also that any parties might, to expedite matters, at once append their signatures to the memorial, and that thereafter the town would be canvassed as also the city of Nelson.

30th June Customs. . 30th SeptGold Total1867... 1,284.. 1868... 29,337.. 1869...26,668.. 1870... 19,608... 1871. ..20,190... 1872...20,1U.., £ B. d. . 7,470 4 1.. .16.350 13 8., .11,432 5 8.. . 8,746 11 1.. . 6,398 1 8.. . 5,472 12 2.. i £ B. . 8",754 4 ,. 45,687 12 . 38,100 5 . 28,354' 11 . 26,588 1 . 25,583 12 d. 1 8 7 1 8 2 5173,038 7 *