The Hutt News Wednesday, April 10, 1946 RIVER BOARD'S GOOD WORK

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 16, 10 April 1946, Page 7

The Hutt News Wednesday, April 10, 1946 RIVER BOARD'S GOOD WORK

It is doubtful if the general public realises just what important work the Hntt Valley River Board has done, and is doing, in the development of the districtThere is a tendency, perhaps, to dismiss its operations as "just rive"/ works," not realising thart those works have made large areas which formerly were liable to heavy flooding, with consequent devastation and possible danger to life, safe for the constantly growing population of the Valley. In a. speech in Lower Hutt recently Mr. Semple referred to "silly little stopbanks," but in the Hutt Valley those stopbanks have played a big part in giving security to many areas and have allowed thousands of State houses to be erected where formerly such a scheme would have been impossible. Some of the older residents of the district remember the time when the river was a constant menace; each heavy fall of rain caused flooding of varying degrees of intensity, with consequent inundation and damage. The River Board, tackling a big problem, set out to remedy matters, and its operations, spread over a number of years, have been very successful. To-day the river is under control, and except under exceptional circumstances is not likely'to be a potential source of danger any longer. For this immunity ratepayers pays a nominal rate (erroneously called by some a water rate). The River Board deserves the thanks of the community for the manner in which it has carried out its duties. The great expansion of the Hutt Valley would have been impossible without the operations of the Board.