SOUTH WAIMAKARIRI RIVER BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16491, 5 March 1914, Page 4

SOUTH WAIMAKARIRI RIVER BOARD.

YESTERDAY’S MEETING

The South Waimakariri River Board met yesterdaypresent—Messrs N. K. Bowden (chairman), E. - Synith, C. H: Opie. C. Burgess. W. E. Samuels, W. P. Spencer, J. Leslie and H. E. Peryman. The overseer reported that there was one small flood during the month but no damage was done to the works. The main stream was now in the centre of the river bed at the upper works, very little was striking the large groin now. Since, the last flood a lot of water was .'('coming in at -Mason’s Elat but noh 'so much Was going down the cutting. The sum of £SO 13s 6d had been spent in grubbiug and £l3 Is in general work. The report was adopted. A letter was received from the Eyre County Council stating, in reply to’the Board’s inquiry, that the" willows complained of in the river-bed had grown from small cuttings from the willows cut the Board’s reserves' higher up the xjv'er. The Council considered that the Board should clear the willows and lupin above and below the bridge. On the motion of Mr C. H. Opie it was decided to inform the Eyre Coun-

cil that the Board would accept no responsibility in the matter and that a few years ago the Eyrcton Road Board, now merged in the county, cut the willows, thus accepting responsibility.

The Kaiapoi Borough Council wrote asking for the Board’s support in its endeavour to secure from the Government some undertaking that telegraphic advice should be sent regarding the weather and flood conditions at the Bealey. It was decided to accede to the request. Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., on behnlf of a client, asked whether the Board was prepared to sell Reserve No. 1360, comprising 283 acres, more or less, near Chaney’s Corner. The secretary reported that he had informed Messrs Dalgety and Co. that the Board bad no power to sell the land referred to. . It. was decided not to strike any rate this year.

Mr C. H. Opie said that the expense of cement on protection works was very heavy and it liad been suggested that more should be done with netting and planting. By planting the Board would.enlist the aid of nature in protecting the river banks. He had been to Parnassus recently and there examined the protective works, and also to Temuka. He would like the members to see these works so as to bring their knowledge of protective work up to date or at least enable

them to compare these methods with those adopted by the Board. _He had been very much struck with - the triple line of protection adopted on the Opihi. He moved that the Board should take an early opportunity of inspecting the protective works on other rivers. The motion was carried, Mr Bursts dissenting, and it was decided to make the inspection on Thursday, March 19. ■