FLOODED LAND

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 44, 1 December 1938, Page 6

FLOODED LAND

SOUTHERN ENP OF COUNTY.

COMPLETE SURVEY TO BE MADE. TO ASCERTAIN THE CAUSES. FARMERS MEET AT ETFFELTON. By a unanimous decision, a meeting of 105 farmers of the southern portion of Ashburton County last evening asked the County Council to take the necessary steps to have a comprehensive survey made of the causes of the flooding or those districts in recent years, with a plan for the rectification of the trouble*

The meeting, which was held in the Eiffelton School, was the outcome of an agitation- that has been going on for some time following the severe flooding that has been creating so much hardship, especially in the areas east of the railway line, where surface water has seriously hampered farming operations.

Those present included Messrs T. D. Burnett, M.P , H. J. Crothers (County Chairman), J. Carr, W. G. Gallagher, C. A, Campion, F. Frampton, H. C. B. Withell (members of the County Council), G. Kelly (County Clerk) and H. A, Vezey (County Engineer). Several statements as to the cause of the flooding of the land were made, and it was agreed that the whole position should be thoroughly investigated hy an engineer. The cost of the woik will be £320, which will be found by the County Council. The meeting was convened by Mr S. P. Taylor (member of the County Council for the riding concerned), who presided. Last winter had been a particularly wet one, and the riding had been subject to much flood water. This had gone on over the last ten years, and the settlers were convinced that it was time something was done to alleviate the position. The roads were being turned into storm-water channels and this was bringing about a severe loss.

The County Clerk read letters that had passed between the Council and the Publio Works Department in regard to a survey being made of the position and with an engineer in Christchurch on the same subject. The latter had estimated the cost at over £320.

Mr Taylor said the Council wanted to know how the settlers felt toward the expenditure of such a sum. The Council was taking a keen interest in the question, as was shown by the large attendance of members at that meeting. Question of Cost. Mr Withell said he had been through the area several times lately, and he had sympathised with the people who were being flooded out in the Coldstream and Lowcliffe areas particularly. It would be no good going on with the survey without going on with the work of remedying the problem, and the cost would have to come out of the people’s pockets. Mr Gallagher said the solution was in the hands of the people of the district. He thought the Council would be willing to find the cost of the survey if the landowners thought a scheme of drainage should be carried out. A piecemeal scheme would not be any good; any work must be a comprehensive one. The cost would be high and would have to be borne by someone, who, they would have to ascertain that night. Mr Crothers said he was fully aware of the importance of the issue, as he had been amazed at the damage that had resulted from the flooding. The difficulties were very real and he thought the people would be well advised to go on with the survey, the cost of which would, he felt sure, be a charge on the Council. A special rate would have to be struck over the area to find the money for the drainage scheme that would have to be established. The Council would maintain the main channels of any scheme for taking the water away.

A Very Big Job.

Mr Frampton endorsed the remarks already made and added that the solution was in the hands of the landowners concerned. The job would be a very big one. He recommended the setting up of a special rating area to cover the cost of the work. The benefits of the drainage scheme would extent over many years.

In reply to a question, the County Engineer stated that the cost of making a mile of drain 10 feet wide and 5 feet deep would be about £6OO a mile. That would be a very big drain. Mr T. Chapman said the Council should keep a close watch on the expenditure side. Mr Burnett said he would like to know if the conditions were abnormal, and were they a permanent feature of the coastal area.

Mr Taylor said the trouble seemed to be permanent. Every time there was a heavy rain the east side of the iine was subject to seVere flooding. *le thought the trouble .had been going on for the last 10 years. One speaker said two years would be about the limit of the flooding. Old Drains Silted Up. Mr J. H. Grigg said the landowners were grateful for the Council’s offer to pay the cost of the survey. The whole area under discussion was originally a swamp, drained 40 years ago. The drains put in had passed into private ownership and no one could he forced to clean them. For 40 years they had been silting up. If the whole area was registered, as to existing drains, and the settlers kept the drains cleaned, the trouble would be done away with. He did not think there was need to go in for a large new drainage scheme.

A rate could be levied mi the land affected, for cleaning by the Council. Mr Paynter said his farm' received the water from six farms and nothing but a big drain would be effective in carrying the water to the sea. There were too many small drains now, but they only took the water to the boundaries.

Mr (Sheehan said he blamed the Council for all the trouble at his place, large pipes having been placed so as to turn the water on to his place. The Hinds llivcr could carry all the watei if The water could be directed into it.

A speaker said the bed of the river was in several places higher than the surrounding land. Mr T. J. Bell asked if the scheme aas intended to go above the railway line. An answer in the affirmative was given.

A speaker declared that the failure of the Council to see that settlers kept their drains open had been the cause of a good deal of the trouble. Mr J. H. Harper moved that the meeting request the County Council to have a survey carried out, with the object of finding a remedy for the troubles, together with the cost of the work. This was seconded hy Mr Grigg. Mr R. Latimer stated that because of the flooding on his property he had had to cease growing grain. If some of the drains in the upper sections of the area concerned were deepened and widened much of the flooding would he done away with. He preferred this to the making of very large, new drains.

The County Clerk said that if the survey was carried out, the (engineer would find the source of the flood water, if he had to go to the hills. After the survey had 'been taken, the further scheme would have to be submitted to the people.

Mr Burnett said he had been amazed to learn that 75,000 acres of. some of the best land in the County was suffering from the flooding. He thought the taking of a thorough survey was fully justified. It was a national question, even if it was not as spectacularly urgent as river erosion, which the Government was going into as one of urgency. Mr Carr, speaking also on behalf of •Mr Campion, promised all the assistance they could give in finding the way out of the difficulties that had arisen.

The procedure in the setting up of a special rating area was explained by .the County Clerk, who stated thfit every person had the right of appeal to a Magistrate, who had the final say in the passing of the rate roll. The motion was carried.

The chairman expressed thanks to Mr Burnett, Mr Crothers and members of the County Council for having attended and shown their appreciation of the problem. A vote of thanks was accorded the chairman.