RIVER CONSERVANCY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18107, 24 June 1924, Page 8

RIVER CONSERVANCY.

COUNTY COUNCIL'S VIEWS.

There was a short discussion at yesterday's meeting of tlie Waimairi County Council concerning the proposal to set up a River Conservancy Board.

Mr R. B. Owen, organiser of the public meeting which passed a resolution favouring the setting up of such a Board, wrote stating that Or. J. Seymour, chairman of the Waimairi County Council, had been elected to the committee appointed at the meeting, j ' . The chairman asked the meeting for an expression of opinion so that he would be able to represent the views of the Council at the meeting to bo held to-morrow, in connexion with the. proposals. Or. H. Paterson doubted whether such a Board could get more water to flow in the Avon than was in that river at the present time. He stated that the water in it was practically still water up to the Stanmore road bridge. Or. R. W. Hawke said he did not favour a new body being set up to deal with the question, as there were too many public bodies in and around Christchurch already. . The DTainago Board was, in his opinion, the proper body to deal with river improvement. The members of that body were elected to occupy seats on the Board, which every now and again camo before the public for loans and which had the power to levy, rates. If it was felt that the Board was not doing what it should to improve the rivers, the Board could easily extend the. scope of its operations and approach Parliament with a view to getting power to collect the rates necessary for the purpose. Cr. Paterson said his opinion was similar to that of the previous speaker, and he was certainly against the setting up of a Board consisting of men dumped on it and stopping there till they died. Mr W. H. Nicholson, Mayor of Sumner, at last night's, meeting of the Borough Council, made special reference to the meeting called by the River Improvement Association, and the effect its proposals would have upon the estuary and Sumner. It was hoped that the channels of the rivers would be deepened and straightened so that the drainage of low-lying districts in certain suburbs would be secured. The river was leading the effluent waters to the estuary, which was becoming the cesspool of the city. At present lands about the Heathcote bridge were being seriouslv flooded. With the dredgings from the channels, the tidal water could be kept off the low-lying lands. He stressed the necessity of carrying out the Bcheme from the Drainage Board's boundary right through the estuary over the bar itself, so that the full benefit of the pull of the ebb tide might be obtained when the channel is made.

On the motion of Cr. Harris, seconded by O. Jones, it was decided to endorse the representations made by the Mayor in this connexion. Councillors stressing the necessity for every effort being mad© to accomplish this object.