BANKING A RIVER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1460, 7 June 1912, Page 6

BANKING A RIVER.

A MARTINBOROUGH DEPUTATION. .A deputation of setters resident in the neighbourhood of Martinborough was introduced yesterday to the Hon. G W vTw , 5r fov Affairs) by It i M.P. riie members ot the deputation, Sir. Buchanan explauiil"n( u T liolcliiiK land on the banks of. the Jtuainahunga Kiver. Like other rivers in New Zealand, the Iluamahnnga was liable to heavy flooding, and as often happened m such cases, the most valuable portions of tho farms affected suffered in time of flood. A proposal had been made to form a river board in order that protective embankments might be constructed on tha eastern bank of tho Speaking as one who knew the district thoroughly, Mr. Buchanan said that the establishment of a river board would niako it possible to avert heavy recurring osses from destruction of pasturage and loss of stock. Some objections hud been made by settlers on the western pjdb of the river to the proposals advanced by tho deputation. :

Members of tho deputation explained that the proposed river board district would extend for ten miles along the eastern bunk of the river. At either owl nf this stretch tliero was a cliff, so that thuie would be liitlii prospect of the. proposed district being Hooded at its extremities. As to objections, it wns submitted that there Mas nothing to prevent tho people oil the other bank of tho river forming a board, to protect, their land, just as it was proposed to do on the eastern side.

Mr. Buchanan mentioned that there were two dairy factories in the district, which it was proposed to protect. The Minister said that he realised that river protective works in the district were absolutely necessary, but it was almost impossible to construct groynes and protective works on olio side of a river without producing a very startling effect on tho other side. Before consenting to the sotting up of a river board to deal with one bank of the river, ho must be satisfied that no damage would be inflicted on the other. Referring briefly to tho Local Government Bill, and to the conference which recently reviewed its provisions, Mr. remarked that the feeling at that conference was that a strong effort should be mado to stop the increase of small local bodies, lie hoped that a Bill would bo brought down which would place such works as those advocated by the deputation ill tile-hands of the county council of tho district. In the present caso this would ensure not only tluit tno vtrk that tho deputation wanted would he carried out, but that tho country p.cioss the river would be adequately protected as well. While he l-etnii,ed ollico :>e wns going to set bis face, against the ost.iblishineut of a lot of "tilipot." local bodies. Interests should'be united under «i county authority, and each county should retain n slatt of competent engineers. Ho proposed to hold up the matter introduced by tho deputation until the fate of the Local Government Bill bad been determined. If it did not.pass, be would see whether both side 3 of th 3 river could not be represented on one board.

A member of the deputation: Suppose the other side of the deputation say "W'e won't bank"? The Minister: In that case 1 shall see what powers ] have, and if 1 have powers 1 shall send up a commissioner to inspect the place and report. If lie reports llial your case i«-urgent—and the Local (iovernment Dill is nut passed—liien I shall proclaim your district. 1 nni not iioiiiß to allow "tho other side" to block your district. : One member of Hie deputation .stated that the settlers on the weMern bank were not, small farmers, and were not dairy farmers. After some further discussion Mr. Buchanan thanked tin Minuter, slid llie defiutatiou \vithdrev<i