Waiwhetu Stream

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 3, 19 June 1946, Page 3

Waiwhetu Stream

CLEARING WORK STARTED

WEED'S PROLIFIC GROWTH .. The work of clearing the Waiwhetu stream of willows and logs, with the object of preventing flooding, was started by the Public Works Department last week. An agreement to do the work was entered into with the Hutt River Board some years ago, but for various, reasons the work was delaye:!. Following a recent conference between the Board and Housing Department engineers a promise was made that the work would be started within a fortnight, and though the chairman of the Board stated thai departmental promises of.two weeks usually meant two months notification was. received, on the last day of the. stipulated fortnight that the work had commenced. Never-ending Job When the Public Works Department has cleared the stream of willows and logs the River Board will still have to keep the weed in the stream in check. This is almost a never-ending job, for the weed grows prolifi.cally. At present the board's workmen spend about 2000 hours a year clearing the stream, doing the work four times a year, and so rapidly does the weed grow that when the workmen have finished the length it is necessary to start again almost immediately. The object is to keep a clear channel in the centre of the stream, so as to keep the water running. It is difficult to realise now that the weed has become such an ex pensive pest that it was first imported to beautify, the. stream.