WAIKANAE RIVER

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 93, 21 April 1931, Page 14

WAIKANAE RIVER

MENACING EROSION

A very serious position has arisen at ■Wuikaiiae owing to the erosion by the recent Hoods, particularly the last one. ..Mr. W. 11. Field, M.1.'., has written to the Minister of Vubliu Works and the Horowhenua County Council on the matter. In reply to Mr. Field the clerk to the council has asked him to request tin; Minister of I'ublii: Work's to allow n Departmental engineer to inspect the locality of the erosion in the Waikanac. River, in conjunction with tho county engineer. In his' letter to tho Minister making the suggested request, Mr. Field wrote: "At two points a short distance below the main traffic bridge tho river is ' fast cutting into and washing away very valuable alluvial Native land. The river lias now reached a point within two chains of several Native cottages, and is making in the direction of an old course of the river which intersects the Waikanae Beach road, a subsidiary highway. If no steps are taken to check this dangerous j-iycr movement, not only will further Native land and dwellings, both Native and European, be destroyed, but it is very possible that the river may change its course to the sea and render the erection of a costly bridge and other heavy expenditure necessary."