STYX RIVER.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20448, 19 January 1932, Page 7

STYX RIVER.

TOUR OF INSPECTION. WORK DONE UNDER NO. S SCHEME. The work carried out on the Styx river by the Waimairi County Council, which has absorbed go much, unemployed labour under the No. 5 Scheme since tho task was commenced last March, was in* spected by members of the County Council yesterday. It was found that the -work had been carried out very satisfactorily to date, and was, continuing in a similar manner. Certainly the fact that the level of the river is lower at present than is within the recollection of the oldest councillor, and is from three inches to six inches below the mark contracted for by the cleaner is a tribute to the success of the operations. As far as the inspection. was concerned, it was a real adventure for the party, who completed nine miles of it either in a motor-driven punt or in the dinghy which it towed. The members of the Council present, who formerly made up the Styx River Committee, were Crs. W. P. Spencer, C. E. Cross, J. Clelland, C. W. Moore, and W. G. Chapman, and they were accompanied by the County Clerk (Mr G. S. Cowper) and the contractor for thi cleaning work (Mr H. Kennett). Course of the Tour.

The embarkation took place a little below the Railway bridgo, on the Main North road, where the Btream of the Styx is little more than twelve fet wide, although quite deep. Cannoning' from bank to bank with the engine of one craft throttled down was quite exciting, as the Styx is very winding in that section. There were intentional stoppages made to inspect some of the work already commenced in making new cuts, so as to straighten the course of the river, and prevent a great portion of the flooding of the adjacent land, and in many instances owners of property were interviewed on the banks of the stream. There were other stoppages, too, which were not intentional, and the contractor, with the boat heavily laden with councillors, whose aggregate weight was by no means smalrj-was overboard on a few occasions, carrying out literally the jolting remarks made to "get out and push." After about one mile of the journey had been completed, the work of small cuts was inspected. Most of it had not been commenced except for clearing operations, and one at least has nos been finally decided upon as. a result of verbal objections made by a propertyowner during the tour of yesterday. In one place, where a cut was being made, a gang of about twelve men, working under the No. 5 Scheme, had made very good progress with a task that was by no means a light one. They were married men, all working three days a week under the scheme, and the supervisor said that they were fully earning the 12s 6d a day being paid. He wished to pay that tribute to the gangs that had been on the job, he said.

Cuts to Minimis** Flooding. The river takes some sharp S bends in this section of its course, and the intention of the Council is to put i« short straight cuts, so as to give the flood waters a clear path*-.'... The-result is expected to minimise flooding dangers considerably. One farmer raided certain objections to the scheme when j»e met the party of inspection, ana he was told that nothing would be done. until" his letter, explaining his position, had been received by the CouncilJso valuable land is affected by these proposed new cuts but it is made up of bogs suitable for cattle graang, perhaps, in the dry season. A second farmer raised objections also but withdrew them, stating that ho was satisfied that the work would do him a considerable amount of good. Council's Work Praised. Lower down the river between the, Eailway Bridge and Marshland road the earlier work was inspected and found to be very satisfactory. The clearing of the willows and deepening of the stream was a big improvement. In that section were seen the three cuts which had been completed last year and Mr A. Coull, a farmer on the left-hand side of the stream affected by one pf them, was down on the edge of his property when the party passed. He said that he was very well satisfied and that the Council "had done wonderful work. At the Mouth of the Styx. After leaving the boats, where soeond gang is still at work carrying out road protection work, the party went by car to Brooklands to inspect the work of the Waimakariri Biver Trust, which is proceeding there in connexion with the putting through of the Lower Cut of the Waimakariri river. That Lower Out will result in the mouth ot the Styx river being shifted upstream taking off. about 70 chains in actual river length. .- At the present time the Trust s men are engaged in building the stop-bank and scooping the pilot channel. It is expected that the latter will be completed at the eastern end in about one week, and the pilot channel will carry the water of the Styx instead of it continuing on in its present wide arc.

Possibility of New Itoad. Before leaving Brooklands the Councillors took the opportunity of inspecting the land over which a road may be established to complete at a later date a round trip from Christchurch to Christchurch via Lower Styx -«»*» Stewart's Gully, Brooklandß,* and -North, Beach. The piece of road which would have to be made would be from Seafield avenue at Brooklands to the-Styx-river, and a bridge across the stream would complete the round trip connexion.