PIAKO DRAINAGE SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 22 April 1908, Page 11

PIAKO DRAINAGE SCHEME

STATEMENT BY THE HON J. M'GOWAN. :.' • Speaking on the "subject of the possibilities of the great Piako area of 200,000. acres wbich;.'will be.affected.by.tho iinnioiise drainago sclidma at present in hand, tlio Minister ... for; Mines and Justico '(tho Hon. J. M'Go-V.'<ivyn)-this; morning, gave: a " Star ropresen- . ytivo ;soiiio . interesting' impressions of liis :.. ofMnvestigation:—- ' ; . • ■.'".There is rnoro good land in the swnnip otw than I thought," said Mr. M'Gowan, '.'Vbut'Tt is at present inipossiblo to s&y just what , tho area is; In parts ;it is comprised of .jieat land,- and it would be altogether ■ : premature ,io mako any. this*.portion of the Pinko area. People who ake: Credited ' withtho • ncccssarg experience and. knowledge to formnluto an' opinion say ■~ th*SV ; ,it;\vill grow .splendid ..flax, ind if this is /subsequently borne out then .' ifc ;as vsafe. •to say ; that practically "the wholo .. of ithoiarea,. including'the Government block of 00,000 acres, will bcconio useful." • ,; y'Asked:was.it possible to.,form any, opinion I, as to'.; how. long it would talio' to acconipl ish tho ..drainage of the Piako, Mr.. MiGowan "■ replied .that it impossibio'-to'givo anything'but. an approximate, estimate. " The ■- Government' intend pursuing, active opera- •" tions*-'and on the work with all expedition, but it. will ,bo: several years: before ■ tli'o land' is .in. a' fit'state to bo thrown open J6f/;settlement* Tlicro.-is more than the drainage to. be done. My reccnt'. visit lias 1 convinced ino of', that.' - In flood time the banlis of the WatbouVKircr ovovfloy/,, and in turn -.affect .the: ;with -the' resiilt that : the■ low-lying' land about'Nethorton is daniaged iby ..'flood .'' -It would : thereforo be : . .tf}b ; ba'rlks .of ,tho Waihou at a ■ .certitin.point'wer'o' builfc.up: I am confident that'/.thc; Minister .for' Lands.-will.: bo impr6s^ed 7 vcitlv the', urgency of this, expedient, advantago to be gained by having' the . work done. 1 In fact, I • am : of .the ; opinion ithis should bo-done; as part of the .drainage--'sehemd /vitself. . ' Stopbanks , arc ■ needed 'on tho .Waihou to prcciude the pos- "• Bibility ibf: jt%'Ketlierton- country, boi'ng sub; .time, and, .an-'estimate has . .■ "giyeri me by the engineer ini'which'it , is^cqihputed/that the cost of .erecting a stop ■'.- v/ali 'eighfa/ miles long at the' .necessary : point on l :Waih6u,Vfould. be: .'£3200.."...„ .:... . '; the advantage.»of ,a. main • canal. ; as- a/ sourco of outlet in tho»case of • . flood, whtors from the Upper Yi'aihou, Mr. '...'MJqpirpj.jjpiiited; ontrthiit '■the : benefit of such*a'-canal would bo to rivc: a straight dischargo- into the Hauraki Gulf,which • v '-'.present'.''course • of: the ... Piakp'''by, : terv.injles.' This' scheme,-the Minister. • points out, will have- the effect, of draining * the low-lying 'land adjacent to the Waitoa;and Piako Rivers. ......