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1920. NEW ZEAL A N D.

APARIMA RIVER (REPORT OF RIVERS COMMISSION ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

REPORT. To His Excellency the Right Honourable Arthur William de Brito Savile, Earl of Liverpool, Member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, Knight of Justice of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies. May it please Your Excellency,— Your Excellency's Commission, dated the Bth April, 1919, directed us to inquire into certain matters in respect of the Clutha, Orari, Rangitata, Waimakariri, Ashley, and Macrewhenua Rivers, and such other rivers as might be added thereto from time to time. Your Excellency's further Warrant, dated the 22nd July, 1919, added to the Commission the Waihi, Wairau, Waiau-uha, Taieri, and Aparima Rivers. The time within which your Commissioners were required to furnish their reports was extended by Your Excellency to the 7th June, 1920. In the meantime the same individuals were appointed a Royal Commission, under a separate order of reference, to examine and report on the Waihou River. This was done, and the report duly submitted before resuming work under the present Commission. The present report deals only with the Aparima River. The reports on the Maerewhenua and Clutha Rivers have already been presented to Your Excellency. The reports upon the remaining rivers will be submitted in due course when the requisite data have been collected. Your Excellency's Commission directed us, in respect of each river, " (1.) To inquire into the cause or causes.of the silting-up of the channel, the flooding of the adjacent lands by the said river, the erosion of its banks, and the damage to the surrounding country ; " (2.) To ascertain the nature and extent of the damage done to the lands adjacent to the said river, and what area of land is affected by such floods or erosion, or both, and whether it is practicable at reasonable expense to prevent such flooding or erosion, or both, either wholly or partially ; " (3.) To ascertain the best method of providing for the control of the said river and its tributaries so as to safeguard the lands affected, and to provide for the effective control and improvement of the said river and its hanks ;