NGARURORO BANK PROTECTION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3914, 24 May 1877, Page 2

NGARURORO BANK PROTECTION.

Sir, — Your West Clive correspondent's ideas must have been A'ory foggy Avhen he penned his letter to your paper of the 18th, and I should advise him for the future to make himself better acquainted Avith the subject he Avrites about before he makes it public.

When he makes use of my name and 1 the action I took in the Cduncil with respect to the protection of the river bank at Hamlin's paddock, he goes on to say " doubtless the strip of land alluded to is private property, but it is so thoroughly ( valueless that the owner never thought it worth fencing in." Now, sir; he is tliere altogether at sea, for the strip of land ! alluded to is not private property, otherwise it would have been fenced in long ago. The said strip of land is a Government reserve, ancl when the question was discussed in the Council I advocated that protective works be carried on only where the river abuts on public property, which, of course, would include _ the Government reserve. But that is not even the principal danger which exists. The encroachment of the river is principally in Mr Hamlin's paddocks, Avhich, if not protected, I have no doubt will cause considerable damage to that valuable property. Ancl I would ask is it right to spend public money to prevent rivers encroaching on private properties ? Your West Clive correspondent evidently thinks it is one of a County Council's duties. If such was the case I could point out numbers of similar cases on the banks of the Tutaekuri, Petane, and Ngaruroro rivers, with quite as much claim on the public purse • ancl if they were all undertaken it would take more money to protect the banks in those places than the Council's revenue amounts to. And I think if a rate had to be levied for that purpose that settlers who have no property on a river frontage would not care to pay a rate for the protection of those that have. It was to prevent the precedent of protecting private properties being established that I went against, and time will show whether the action I have taken in the matter was right or wrong. — I am, &c, John Bennett.