Reclamation

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 177, 12 July 1927, Page 6

Reclamation

Napier Council Meets Harbour Board. PROPOSAL TO PURCHASE LAND BOARD PROMISES CONSIDERATION. Following up their proposals to the Minister of Marine, the Hon G. J. Anderson, recently, on the question of reclamation, the Napier Borough Council last night met the Napier Harbour Board, when it was urged that negotiations should bo entered into by the two bodies with, the object of enabling the borough to purchase some 500 acres of Harbour Board land so as to proceed immediately with its reclamation it available for residential areas. The board did not come to decision bnt expressed its willingness to give the proposal its consideration. Cr. R. W. Goodger, deputy-Mayor, appealed for co-operation between the two bodies in order that reclamation should be pushed on with all speed. The council’s object in securing the land was to proceed with reclamation in a different manner from what the Harbour Board was proposing. IMPORTANCE OF THE MATTER. “I cannot stress too much the importance of reclamation to Napier.” said Cr. W. G. Martin. “At the present time we seem to be like a chicken in the shell waiting to be hatched; wanting more room to move about in. At every council meeting we receive applications to subdivide. We had expected the Harbour Board to do something, but after all when we consider it it is not the function of a harbour board to reclaim and lay out lands for a borough. Its work is to look after the harbour. We feel the Borough Council is the proper authority to deal with the reclamation of lands contiguous to the borough. Our desire is that the two bodies should come to an arrangement whereby the Borough Council can purchase this block of land, reclaim it, and lay it,out. That, we feel, would be not only to our interests but to the interests of the Harbour Board as well.” DETAILS OF AREA. Mf G. F. Clapcott, borough engineer. then detailed the area desired by the council. It extended from the high School block boundary to the Taradalo road, being bounded on the north-east by the Tutaekuri and the south-west by Riverbend road. There were two schemes for reclamation proposed, one being to fill it hi to the same level as Napier South and the other to partially fill it in and then carry on by a system of pumping during periods of bad weather. Mr. Jull: This area i« what we call the Richmond block with the exception of the Meeanee end of it. Mr. Clapcott: It will make a compact area for the borough. Mr. Higgins: In the event of your raising the land, where do you propose to get the spoil? Mr, Clapcott: If it is to raise the area to the level of Napier South it is not possible to obtain spoil in the vicinity, but it is possible to d’edge it from the harbour side of the l a radale road. A certain portion of it would be gained by the opening of channels. '

Mr. .lull: How about the river question?

Mr. Clapcott: We hope it will be diverted. However, we could make the area secure by raising arid strengthening the existing banks The chief difficulty during 'Hie last two floods was the Taradale road, which blocked the water from getting away. There are not sufficient outlets. On the Inner Harbour side the tide level was two to three feet lower than the flood level. If there wore about 15 chains of open way in the road there would not he the same amount of flooding. Even when the river is diverted to the Waitangi we ought to assume that a by-pass may be necessary in times of heavy flood. Mr. Eriksen: There was no flood water on the other side of Riverbend road ; only surface water. MUST BE MORE SECURE. Mr .Clapcott: To deal with the aiea properly it is obvious that it must be made secure from flooding. The land is of no value to anyone in its present condition owing to the flooding that is taking place. The essence of the whole - position is to divert the Tutaekuri. but at the same time the area could he made safe from flooding. From the High School block to the Ta radale road during the recent flood was a fall of four feet.

Cr. Martin : To crystallisp matters what we want is the Borough Council and the Harbour Board to get togethei and promote a ’ill this session io ennhi'-' the council to acquire tins land in the same wav that the council secured a small area from the boa id a short time ago. HARBOUR BOARD’S BILL “We are all interested in reclamation,” replied Mr. Jull, “in fact, so interested that we are promoting a bill this session for the reclamation of some 600 acres We promoted one last year but it did not pass. The block we are dealing with is the Awatoto block. It is the project that can be most easily and readily dealt with because it does not involve the diversion of the Tutaekuri. The board’s proposal is to raise the Awatoto bank and to extend that bank to meet one from the town. Then reclamation would be carried out by dewatering of the area rather than by the slower process of raising the land by pumping. The amount involved is a comparatively small one about £25.000. Besides this area there are 22 acres on the Taradale road, making a total of ove r 600 acres which the board hopes to be available for settlement at the earliest possible moment. The Harbour Board is deeply concerned with the reclamation of these areas just as much as the Borough Council and we are hoping to get the co-operation of the Borough Counci] in pushing on with our project. Ibis can be done without any controversy Being raised a s to the disposal of Ha’-bom Board endowments and I do hope, irrespective of whether the board agrees to the council’s proposal, that the Borough Council will lend its influence in assisting the Harbour Board to have their proiect passed during Ibis session so that an immediate advantage mav bo taken to increase the area of thp town. You can quite

understand members being jealous of the board's endowments which have been made security for various loans. The disposal of tbd revenue would be for the working of the harbour and cheapening the rates providin" improved facilities and to enable further consideration to be given to importers and exporters A FREE PORT. “We look forward some day to having a free port and all will realise that it is of the greatest importance to have a harbour administered so satisfactorily that will enable us to compete with the other ports in New Zealand. I can assure you that the board will give your proposal every consideration and acquaint you as soon as possible with the result.” Air. J. V. Brown: Are you going on with the bill in spite of the results of the flood? Mr. Jull: If the works that we propose had been done there would not have been a pint of water on the Awatoto block or on tlte High School area either. There is a break in the bank for the purpose of bringing as much water in to the block for siltation. I am very pleased to see the two bodies coming together and discussing matters which are of mutual interest.” Ci 1 . Goodger then thanked the board for receiving the deputation. “We are in your hands,’’ he said, “and we trust your deliberations will be satisfactorv tn our desires and be of benefit to Napier.”