RIVER SAFETY AT RADLEY

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27151, 22 September 1953, Page 10

RIVER SAFETY AT RADLEY

CONFERENCE HELD YESTERDAY

CITY COUNCIL TO PLAN IMPROVEMENTS Heathcote river dangers at Radley were discussed for an hour yesterday by representatives of the Christchurch City Council works and reserves departments, the Christchurch Drainage Board, and Housing Division of the Ministry of Works, and residents of the district. “You will talk until my children are playing there,” said Miss M. B. Howard, M.P., when she moved that the meeting adjourn and allow the works and reserves committee of the City Council to prepare a scheme for the protection of children, “as nobody else seems prepared to do anything.” In the 10 minutes before this motion was put, the Drainage Board representative agreed “to do something about the bed of the river” and to extend the culvert on an open drain on which children were reported to sail boats into the river, the Ministry of Works representatives agreed to send a bulldozer to clear undergrowth on the banks if the' cost could be met in the meantime from the £lOOO-Government subsidy offered; and the City Council representatives agreed to hasten the preparation of other safety proposals. Cr. A. J. Smith, who presided, said the meeting had been called so that residents’ representatives who were concerned about the drowning of children could discuss with local body representatives and officers their suggestions. The whole river was causing trouble from end to end but it was agreed that this section required urgent attention. Mr F. W. Richardson, for the Radley Residents’ Committee formed at a public meeting, said he thought he spoke for most residents when he asked that a protective fence be erected, that the banks of the river be trimmed against undermining and tidied, and that the bed of the river be cleared to “allow some chance of survival.” There were many children in the area—l 22 in the State housing block alone. A speaker for another group of residents asked whether the trees need be removed and suggested that proper playground provisions would eliminate much of the trouble. Cost of Fence Mr M. J. Barnett read a report he . made to the City Council in 1951 as , director of reserves which said that a proposed riverbank reserve was . then useless for recreation because , it was subject to flooding. There had been filling since, he said, but the strip was not wide enough for sports grounds and would be dangerous as a playground unless the whole river ( frontage was fenced. To fence the ; whole mile of river under discussion '■ would cost about £2OOO, Mr Barnett > said.

Mr H. Sherbrooke (Housing Division) said the Ministry of Works had no responsibilities on’the river frontage as its property was further back. The reserve had been approved by the City Council with the subdivision. The State had completed its obligation. At this stage Mr Barnett denied that the reserve had ever been vested in the council. It was offered but rejected as unsuitable, he said. Mr E. H. S. Hamilton (Drainage Board) emphasised that the board was responsible only for the waterway and not for the banks. He discussed the problem of trade wastes in the river and said the only real solution was a trade waste sewer. This could not be undertaken while housing sewerage was developing so rapidly. There was then a good deal of round-the-table talk until Miss Howard suggested that the meeting adjourn and leave investigations to the City Council’s reserves and works departments. “You place it in our lap and no one else accepts any responsibility,” she said. “It’s no use beating the air here any longer. Let us get on with it.” Invited by the chairman to comment, the City Engineer (Mr E. Somers) said he would ask only one question. What type of fence did residents think would be adequate. Personally he thought a fence was a challenge to children. One of the women residents said a four-feet fence of wire mesh, slanting at the top, would discourage young children. Before the meeting ended Mr W. P. Glue said the Drainage Board would extend the culvert on the stprm water drain where children played and also “see about” the bed of the river if draglines could get in. Mr Sherbrooke said he would send a bulldozer to clear the banks if the cost could be met in the meantime out of funds allowed for improvements.