FLOOD PREVENTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4597, 28 June 1917, Page 5

FLOOD PREVENTION.

MEETING OFjSEUrLERS ON THE

COMMISSION TO BE ASKED FOR

TO DEFINE LARGER RATING AREA .

Matters in connection with flood nvevention were discussed at a meetSm of ratepayers at the Matawliero Hall last evening. There was a huge and representative gathering of .settlers, between 40 and 50 being present. i,_ The meeting was presided over -A Mr G Witters, and other members of the* Board who were- present were Messrs. Bendle and Turnbull. Right from the beginning the tone of the meeting indicated that tin district could not undertake any big scheme of flood prevention such as was suggested by Mr. Lamg-Me#sou o- Mr. Thompson, Government Engineer, because the cost was too big for a comparatively small district, A matter which was fully discussed was that of private banking, and the opinion was frequently expressed tliat indiscriminate banking by private persons away from the river was not a thing to encourage. The meeting sympathised with those people who felt obliged to embark on low-lying land on the most offending part of the ruer. . “That this meeting of ratepayers urge upon councillors whose ridings are in any way suffering through floods the necessity of getting the Council’s permission to cross roads with embankments, as without such • permission the work going on now would not be altogether satisfac-

tory.” . ' i t vr . This resolution was proposed by Mr \Y Tucker, seconded by Mr. A. Rigney, of Waereiiga-a-hika, and was carried unanimously. Ors. Jones and Witters, who were ■piesent. promised to do what they could at the earliest opportunity. U might be explained that in some places the Council’s roads ran into t ;, e river. If embankments were built along tlie bank and gaps left at the icad," much of the benefit to be derived from the embankments would be lost, which was not at all desirable. Mr. Tucker then proposed another resolution which was seconded by Mr Piimer. This resolution was the subject of a great deal of discussion, and was ultimately carried unanimously. The resolution was as follows:

“That, in the- opinion ,of this meeting, the River Board District as at present defined is too small to

undertake a scheme of such a mag-

nitude as suggested by either Mr. Laing-Meason or Mr. Thompson, Government'. Engineer, and we respectfully ask the River Board to approach the Government with a view to setting up a commission for the purpose of defining a district and allocating the cost over same, the district to include all portions of Poverty Bay which would benefit directly or indirectly.”