WAIPOUA RIVER

Evening Post, Issue 73, 23 September 1936, Page 18

WAIPOUA RIVER

IMPROVEMENT SCHEME

MINISTER'S APPROVAL

(Special to the "Evenino Post.") MASTKRTON, This Day. According to a statement by the Mayor, Mr. T. Jordan,' at last night's meeting of the Masterton Borough Council, there is every prospect of the Waipoua River improvement scheme being put in hand at an early date. Mr. Jordan reported favourably on a recent interview with the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), and said that a statement by the Minister on the subject was expected within the next few days. It is anticipated that the work will make a valuable contribution to the problem of unemployment relief work in the town. Mr. Jordan said that after waiting for several months they had at last secured an interview with the Minister of Public Works, who had given them a patient and sympathetic hearing. Three proposals were placed before him, the first being to do the job with wheelbarrows. By that method the work was estimated to cost £13,000, including £1600 for the Columba Road bridge and £700 for the suspension bridge. The second method was to use drays in place of wheelbarrows, thus reducing the cost, including the two bridges, to £ 11,000. The Minister, -however, appeared favourably inclined to the third proposal to carry out the work by means of a mechanical excavator. By using an excavator it was estimated that the cost would be reduced to £9000. The Minister had suggested that the Government might purchase the excavator and hire or lease it to the council. Mr. Jordan said he thought that the idea of the Government buying the mechanical excavator was a good one. Departmental engineers also favoured the proposal as it was held that the excavator could be hired to other local bodies at a later date. He anticipated that advice would be received from the Minister within a few .days as to when the work could be started. He did not know what amount of money would be provided for the work and they had not asked for any specified sum. The Minister had agreed that it was a job that ought to be done. Mr. Jordan agreed with Councillor R. Russell that the use of a mechanical excavator would considerably reduce the number of men engaged, but said that the Minister had pointed out that it was a job calling for speedy completion. Once put in hand, the work would have to be pushed ahead in case a flood came along and washed out wc/k already done.