H.B. RIVERS BILL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 3 September 1929, Page 7

H.B. RIVERS BILL

SCHEME OF FLOOD CONTROL BOARD CHAIRMAN’S EXPLANATION. TWO MEETINGS IN NAPIER. Detailed explanations of the H.B. Rivers Board's Bill were given at two conferences held in Napier yesterday, when Mr. W. G. Jarvis, chairman of Uie board, Mr. F. C. Hay, consulting engineer to the board, and Mr. W. J. Fallot, clerk, met members of the Napier chamber of commerce and later members of the Napier Borough Council. At both meetings Mr. Jarvis advocated support of the bill when it came before the Bills committee so as to get the scheme for flood control definitely approved by Parliament. At both meetings support was pledged to the board while the intention was expressed of sending a representative to Wellington to strongly support the bill when it came before the Local Bills committee of the House. Following his explanation of the clauses in the bill, Mr Jarvis, when addressing the Napier chamber of commerce, very strongly stressed the absolute necessity of flood control in the district If the board’s bill and scheme were rejected further considerable delay would be occcasioned. and Napier would be retarded in its natural expansion. “We have been hammering away for years,’’ he said, “and not making very great progress Certainly good work has been done, but we have never had a definite scheme upon which we could concentrate The approval given to the scheme by the Minister and by the Public Works Department. I am sure, is sufficient for the chamber to accept it. as being a good scheme. The Government has a lot of valuable property at stake in the district and the Minister would never approve of a scheme that was likely to jeopardise it. When the bill is before the Bills committee 1 would like the chamber to send a representative down to support it." SIMPLE AND FEASIBLE. “We understand that there has been a lot of opposition to your scheme,” said Mr. F. V. Kettle, who presided. “We would like to know what the opposition is and why it is there. Your scheme, as you detailed it to us some months ago. seemed simple and feasible.” Mr. Hay: I can say straight out that the opposition to the board’s scheme is not an engineering one. It has never been condemned by any engineer officially engaged by the board. This opposition has *re«n like a mushroom from Clive to Raupare. The board’s scheme means the keeping of the Ngaru >ro in its present course as much a» possible, with provision made to take the surplus water. The Investigating Committee’s scheme advocated by the opposition, proposes to wholly divert the Ngaruroro at The Pines. The Raupare settlers say that by retaining the river i.i its present course the. only protection they would receive from the floods would be by artificial works which', they contend, would be valueless. They also say that the springs, as the result of seepage, would still be with them. Briefly, their objections are to tho protecting stops, springs, and the rising of the level of the river bed.

ANSWERS TO OBJECTIONS. “In answer to the first objection,” said Mr Hay, "1 would point out that it would be impossible to design any flood control scheme without the aid of stop-banks in the country which this scheme would embrace. Hie country has not been graded for it. We have to give the river an artificial grade by means of the step-banks. The scheme which the opposition favour provides for banking from end to end, and foi banks higher than those provided foi in the board’s scheme, so their opposition must apply to that scheme as well. In regard to the springs, it la unfortunate that they do occur. If the river is diverted through Chesterhope and Pakowhai, springs would occur there just the same. In regard to the raising of the river bed, I wish to state that the whole scheme has been designed to prevent it rising to any greater extent than at present. In 1870 the Ngaruroro started to divert itself, making a new course about nine miles shorter than its old bed. As a result, enoimous quantities of shingle were brought down into the new bed. Something like 12,000,000 cubic yards were picked up at critical points and brought into the river. The scheme is designed to check off this supply of shingle and to provide for an improvement in the alignment of the river

“In regard to the overflow, the Investigating Committee did point out that if water were taken from the river it would tend to increase the deposit of material at the draw off This overflow is a high level one designed to take the peak off a flood. The actual reduction of any flood would be very slight, and with the improvement of the Whakatu bridge and the alignment of the river further down, there is little likelihood of any deposit taking place. It has beer stated that there is not an overflow scheme anywhere that is a success. There is one at Blenheim which is quite a success, while the Sacramento scheme, a huge undertaking. twenty times as large as this would be, is most successful The criticism that an overflow scheme is no good can be thrown out as the result of the experience in this corntry and in others. It ’s essential tba 1 a channel be kepi clear, and T understand that it-can ’lie profitably grazed. With the grass being kept short, very little silting could take place FLOODGATE FOR OLD NGARURORO. “The next criticism against the board’s scheme is the proposal for a floodgate for the old Ngururoro. This stream is the /main drain for about 160 square miles of country. The opposition assert that the floodgate would prevent the drainage of the old river from having an outlet, consequently flooding the country. I can assure yor that the suggestion to instal the floodgate was not made until a thmougn engineering investigation had neon made, and the maximum discharge of the old river had been carefully calculated. A great featuie of the floodgate would bo the preventing of the backing up of flood water from the main river. (Continue 1 on foot of next column).

At the present time millions of tons of water backed up and settlers suffered as the result. The gates were designed to open and let out water when the level was higher in the old stream than in the main river. It has never been known for a main stream and a tributary to flood at the same time.

“The board’s scheme provides for a separate mouth for the Tutaekuri.”

Mr, S. H. Tuck: We have heard that the scheme would be a menace to the Whakatu freezing works. Mr Hay: Yes, I have heard it, but 1 cannot understand it. I cannot see how a big bank would menace them, because the spillway is practically opposite. TWO MOUTHS. Mr. Pickering: Will the two mouths keep open? Mr. Hay: In 1897 it was found that one mouth did not scour quick enough and, as a result, it has been considered essential to have two mouths to deal with the whole of the water It was obvious that two mouths could deal with the water better than one. Mr. Kettle: The Raupare settlers then want to get their paddocks freed of the springs for nothing. So long as they get rid of them they don’t care. Mr Hay: That is what it seems to be. In reply to Mr. Pickering, Mr. Pallot explained that the board could levy up to £25,000. Mr. Pickering: If tho loan is not carried the board could do the work out of rates. Mr. Jarvis: The work has got to be done. Mr. Pallot: The. burden of the sinking fund and interest would not be as heavy as the maximum levy, because it would be spread over many years. Mr Kettle: Does not the opposition’s scheme cut through some very valuable land ? Mr. Hay: Yes, first-class orchard land. In one group five homes would be affected. There is no way of carrying out that scheme gradually. It would have to be done out of loan in one job. The board’s scheme, failing a loan, could be done gradually. A motion was then passed by the chamber approving of the board’s Bill and asking Messrs W. E Barnard and H. M. Campbell. M.’sP., to support it when it camo before the House. It was agreed that a membei of the chamber proceed to Wellington in support of the Bill. The meeting with the Napier Borough Council was on similar lines, the only objection raised by the council being to the clauses relating to. the incidence of taxation and the ■•aising of loans upon a poll. Mr. Jarvis intimated to the council that ho was prepared to recommend the board to delete those clauses from the Bill. Upon rccci : ng that assurance the council agreed to support the Bill and appointed Cr. P. Higgins to proceed to Wellington,