FARMERS AND THEIR EROSION PROBLEMS ON WEST COAST

Grey River Argus, 29 September 1949, Page 3

FARMERS AND THEIR EROSION PROBLEMS ON WEST COAST

The Totara River is causing Mr P. Minehan, farmer, of Totara Valley, considerable concern through its erosion potentialities. The Westland Catchment Board’s engineer, Mr J. H. McElhinney, reporting on the matter to yesterday’s meeting of the Board, said that a sand bank ten chains long and four or five feet high, tended to alter the course of the river. He suggested writing to the Soils Council to see what the Council thought should be done in this case. Mr F. F. Boustridge said that Mr Minehan had been asked to make a claim on previous occasions. Mr H. M. Lowrey said that Mr Minehan had made his claim recently. The chairman, Mr R. J. Bradly, said that he understood the claim was too high. Mr McElhinney said that it was an old claim, one. that had been in evidence for thirty years. The chairman said that Mr Minehan sought £2OOO, and asked that the river frontage be diverted to his side.

It was decided to write to the Soils Council to enquire if any progress had been made in the matter since the area had been visited by Mr Aitcheson, an ofliccu - of the Soils Council. „

It was decided to advise Mr F. Donovan that the Board did not intend to take any action regarding erosion by the Grey River at his property at Nganere. Mr W. Fisher said that he was familiar with the area, and it was definitely deteriorating, and it looked as thou o h the Grey River may change its course. The whole thing was a very big job. Air McElhinney said that Mr Donovan had tried to tell him what to do. “He must want to be the engineer”, said Mr Boustridge.

The engineer reported on an inspection of Mr M. Moynihan’s property at Kokatahi. He said that the area was subject to flooding. There was bank erosion near the overflow channels. He recor-mended that the position be reviewed. The Westland County Council had some time ago built a small bank, but it was considered inadequate. The bank was later breached and tapped. Mr T. P. O’Neill said that he thought that something should be done, as good land was in danger of erosion.

It was pointed out that the Soils Council had defined a certain line of action to reinstate the bank. “The work is to be kept in mind, and the necessary improvements effected at the first opportunity”, said the engineer. It was decided that Mr H. A. Whitmore be advised that th e proposed

protection works to be constructed on the Crooked River would not affect his property. It was decided to advise ‘Mr H. H Busch that work has already commenced on the stopbank at the Waitangi River. Mr J. Sim wrote asking assistance from the Board to protect his land from erosion from the Mikonui River. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of th e engineer.

Mr McElhinney, in discussing a request from the Westland County Council for an inspection of Mr F. H. Gallop’s property, which is being eroded by the Hokitika River, said three alternative bank protection schemes had been formulated, but the best of these was the reclaiming- of the riverbed downstream, and the erecting of willow posts with cyclone wire netting whereby the river would silt itself up. “The problem has been recurring for some ten or twelve years”, said Mr McElhinney, who added that even the rise or fall of the tide erodes the land in question. Present at the meeting were: Messrs R. J. Bradley (chair), J. Ryan, J. R. Shepherd, H. M. Lowrey, W. Fisher, T. P. O’Neill, J. Shannon, A. Topp, J. Holmes, F. F. Boustridge, G. W. Lowes, R. P. Suggate, J. H. McElhinney (engineer), and H. N. Pyne (secretary).