RIVER EROSION IN WESTLAND

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21939, 13 November 1936, Page 3

RIVER EROSION IN WESTLAND

PROBLEM DISCUSSED WITH MR J. O’BRIEN, M.P.

Mr J. O'Brien, M.P., was present at the meeting of the Westland County Council .when river erosion in the county was discussed. Before attending the meeting Mr O’Brien had visited the Arahura. Kokatahi, and Koiterangi districts. He heard the council's representations and promised to do what he could to secure the Government’s assistance.

Mr O’Brien expressed the view that protection from erosion at Arahura would be a big undertaking. The bed of the river had risen considerably and stop-banks would hardly be sufficient. Patching might help for the time being, but a lasting job would require a thorough survey, and would be expensive. He doubted the effectiveness pf a scooping scheme which was suggested. After further discussion, however, it was decided to test the effects of scooping parts of the bed of the river at an estimated cost of £3OO, of which the council would find £IOO and the settlers £SO, if the Government would find the rest.

In reply to a question, Mr O’Brien said the Government would regard favourably any reasonable scheme or experiment. He said that, representations for a comprehensive scheme for Arahura would have to be made through the Native Lands Department and reports by engineers would have to be unanimous. About the Kokatahi-Koiterangi district, Mr O’Brien said the settlers were to be congratulated on the manner in which they were ready to help themselves. It would assist him if the council could arrive at an estimate of the sum required and the amount for which Government aid was sought. A petition signed by 50 ratepayers of the Koiterangi district asked the council to set up a special rating area to raise a loan to construct and maintain suitable protection works to block effectively the overflow threatening the Camclback road and the Koiterangi district It was ascertained that the rate would yield about £750. Mr O’Brien said he would ask for a *£ for £ subsidy, and expressed the hope that the work could be proceeded with immediately, as he regarded the situation as a serious one. The council also decided to find £2OO for protective works at Kakapotahi if the Government would subsidise it. During the discussion on the seriousness of river erosion in Westland which one member said was greater than anywhere else in New Zealand, Mr O’Brien said that he thought the district needed a river engineer who could study this problem and offer a definite scheme for its solution.

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD

AT WESTPORT

Tit following officers of the Railway Department arrived in Westport on Wednesday night for an appeal by a local railway employee in the locomotive branch, which is to be heard in the courthouse to-day: Messrs P. R. Angus, Locomotive Superintendent (Wellington); J. Binsted, Locomotive Engineer (Christchurch): A. J. Levick, Assistant Staff Superintendent (Wellington); R. F. Black. Assistant Locomotive Engineer (Christchurch): A. F. Taylor, head office clerical satff (Wellington), and J. T. Collin, secretary to the Appeal Board. The members of the board —Messrs J. G. L. Hewitt. S.M. (chairman), J. R. Robertson (departmental representative), and E. L. Sincock (locomotive employees’ representative) —arrived last night. Yesterday the visitors made an inspection of parts cf the Westport section. BABY LOCOMOTIVE FOR KARAMEA

TRANSPORTED BY MOTORLORRY

Co-operation between road and rail transport in a very practical manner was demonstrated at Westport on Wednesday, when a baby locomotive for use by the Public Works Department on the river protective works scheme at Karamea was loaded by the electric crane on the wharf on to a modern, six-wheeled motor-lorry for transport to Karamea. The tiny engine mounted on the lorry attracted considerable interest. The engine will be used on the tram line at Karamea,, between the Oparara quarry and the river mouth, to transport stone for the training wall to be erected.