CANAL TO THAMES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2893, 29 January 1891, Page 4

CANAL TO THAMES.

TO THK KDITOR. Sib,— In your issuo of January 20th., appoars a letter in which my name is mentioned, with reference to the project of cuttine a canal through the bed of silt, whicli once formed a bar in the great lake system which extended from Taupo toTaupiri, and tli.) lower l'iako basin, at which period there was fully 500 feet of water standing where Hamilton now stands, and at which time the summit of the Wairere falls, at Matamata was the surface of the expanse ol waters, which, through volcanic agencies, and subsidence, emptied themselves into the Kritti of Thames, leaving the ancient bed as wo now have it. Tho peat swamps of Waikato aro caused by obatrnctivo drainage, for pent never exists where drainage is perfect. The Waikato River has nothing to do with the drainage ot Waikato swamps. On the contrary, it is the primary cause of our great peat swamps, and we will never drain our swamps effectually by the Waikato. The outfall is at the Thames, for the bed of the Waikato River at Tanpiri is fully l:">ft above the drainage level of the* Waikato basin. A bar of silt not moro than ono mile in breadth separates the proper outfall of all our swamps from the Piako itnd Tlmmos, and only by cutting through this bar can wo hope to drain tho Waikato bisin. Tho lowerTiiikiib.ifin represents the fens of Xbw Zealand, and will some day prove to b» tlio most valuable lands in the colony. Only by a canal can Waikato be drained, and a canal is tho most important of nil public works which can bo undertaken by tho citizens of Auckland and the residents of Waikato. But who will believo mir report ? Nevertheless we say that had a canal .system instead of a railway system been carried out by Auckliiu'ders, Auckland would not be in its present state of stagnation, and it is never too late to mend. There is at present L'"> miles by 12 linlos of the most valuable lands of Auckland laying in waste, not habitable, that can be rendered available for sottlement by this proposed canal, to say nnthiDC of beinß able to ship produce at Is Gd per ton from Cambridge or Alexandra to Auckland, and drain 100,000 acres of at present undniinable land in Waikato. The canal would do more for Aucklanders than any exteusion of railway or openinp up of country beyond our present lines of settlements. —I am, etc. WII.I.IAM A. IiItAHAM. Tho LndRC, Hamilton, L'OLli Jan., 1S!)1.