WAIMAKARIRI RIVER TRUST.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18015, 6 March 1924, Page 7

WAIMAKARIRI RIVER TRUST.

The Waimakariri River Trust met yesterday. Present —Messrs ,T. Wood (chahman), C H. o:ue, W. P. Spencer, J. Leslie, A. Manhire, J. H. Blackwell, and F. G. Horrell. . The overseer reported that there had boen two small iio-dj iu tne river sinco tiio las. i. maciui-jj, but hj damage imu u-/uo ij uuy ot uio v. orii.s, um tOiu-ue 01 iUB rivtf ixud lemiuucU The protective v,oi* at .otuA'artß Guliy would i*» completed at an eariy aui-u, una luo u>tal would uo puiued Ut-fore tha iioartt at M neit meeting. la connexion with tne v\or* at fctewwrta UuUy, the lruat was indebted to Mr bpoiicer ior the large quantity of scrub wli-cU he had permitted to be taken iroiu hys property, uuring tlie month men iiad been tngaged at protective work 3at Stewart s UUiiy, iencmg; on November 26th, cleaning ctu drains and grubbing and cutting ou roa<ia. During tue coming mviit.h a ccxnmencement would be made with the pile groins on the north ban*, also the poisoning ot rabbits and the pulling ot willows. 'Xhj matter relating to the groins was held over lor discussion at the next mectreport added that Mr A. Pearco had given the Trust tne nrst offer at £l4 lor uis pile-driving plant. The matter was lelt in tlio hands of the chairman and the overBeer, who were given power to act. The chairman of the Reserves Committee reported that an inspection had been made ot Mr Alley e property, and lie recommended that ilr lUlcy should e allowed to cultivate about two a«ros at the south-west corner, in lucerne, the lruat to do the necessary fencing, it being understood that Mr Alley should be allowed to continua the cultivation of lucerne if to the satisfaction of the Board till April Ist, 1930, when the Board's leases would fall in. , . , Mr Manhire said if they were going to have anything to do with the growing of lucorne they themselves should supervise the matter. " He did not see the motive m placing a fence around the property for another man's bsnelit. Tlie chairman said the Board would derive no benefit whatever from the experiment, and he did not see why the Board should bear the cost of fencing. Jvlr Spencer said that the land in question was at present leased at 9s an acre and ill a few years it would be worth £1 an acre. The adjoining reserves would" also rise in value. It \va6 a waste of time quibbling over such a matter. The Board was going to reap a great benefit from the experiment. After further discussion, clause was adopted. The Clerk of the Oxford County Council wrote with reference to the matter of stock in the riverbed. The Commissioner of Crown Lands had granted several leases of the riverbed, therefore the Council did not have the power to impound stock there. If the leases were cancelled and the Council were authorised to impound the stock it would endeavour to keep the riverbed free fiom tho nuisance. The letter was received.