THE MAKERUA SWAMP. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume LXIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1902, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE MAKERUA SWAMP. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — Not being a shareholder in- the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, therefore having no axe t<> grind, nnd having seen the Makeruh Swamp under various conditions of flood for tho last seven years, I thought I" might bo able to enlighten some of the shareholders as to whether this so-called vulu-

able asset id*" undervalued or not. I notice that tho Chairman states the book value to bo at fiom 6s to 8s per acre, and that some of it would bring £10 per acre "if tho swamp wero diained," and on these words rests the market value. I doubt whether uny of tho present shareholders will live to see the swamp drained . At the time- of tho Easter flood seven years ago the line was under water at the Makerun Station, that ia about 6 feet above the level of the swamp. By to-night's Po&t I see Mr.. John Davies is prepared to give 8s per acre for some of the swamp, simply foi the flax. How much would it have been worth when the slump in the hemp market took place? I was under the impression tha£ when the Company parted with the reserves of bush land adjacent to the Makerua Swamp it had given up all hopes of draining the swamp, tiis said reserves being intended to go with the drained swamp, so that settlers might have some dry land to shift their stoclc on to in case of flood. Why was it necessary to raise the line some four or five feet above <iie general level of the swamp if it had, or waf ever likely to have, a marketable value? In conclusion, I may state that the bulk of the Makerua Swamp is liable to have two or three feet of water on it when there is a flood in the Manawatu River, and when a heavy local do&wnpour takes place the depth ip increased. Any one taking up the Makerua Swamp for farming in any of its branches requires to be the same as I am, etc., A DUCK. Otaki, 4th April, 1902.