FLOOD PROTECTION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19460, 6 November 1928, Page 10

FLOOD PROTECTION.

RIGHTS OF SETTLERS.

•" I (PHESS ASSOCIATION TELBGBAM.) MASTBRTON, November 5. The Hon. Mr McLeod, in his capacity as Minister for Lands,*made an inspection of the lower Wairarapa Valley to form an idea of the damage done by the recent floods. The Crown areas most seriously affected comprise the Tawaha and Pahautea settlements, and at the Minister's direction the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr Macintosh) visited the settlements and discussed maters with the settlers concerned. . ~. „ At the Pahutea meeting Mr McLeod denied emphatically a rumour circulated throughout the district that the Government had nower to prevent the erection of certain private stopbanks, and that they could not have been erected without the authority oi rin Order-in-Council. Speakingas Minister for Lands, Mr McLeod said definitely that the Government had nothing to do with the matter and that it could not prevent anybody from endeavouring to protect their own lands from inundation by flood waters. The Government had no authority to interfere in such cases. All that the .legislation did was to provide facilities for an action in law where an individual or group of individuals consider they have suffered damage as a result of protective works. The Minister .said the question of stop-banks in the lower reaches of the Ruamahanga river was now more or less involved in a comprehensive, scheme affecting the whole district, and in that connexion the opinions of the Government experts would be at the disposal of the settlers. They would also advise in individual cases if desired.