FLOOD PROTECTION.

Mataura Ensign, 4 November 1913, Page 7

FLOOD PROTECTION.

RESIDENTS' SUGGESTIONS. DEPUTATION TO THE COUNCIL. A deputation, waited on the Mayor (Mir D. McDougall) and Borough Councillors at the Town Hall last evening in reference to flood, protection works for Gore. The deputation list contained the following names, though some of those mentioned did not attend: Messrs J. Mac Gibbon, E. R. Bowler, J. B. P&terson, Jas. Boyne, Jas Turnhull, Geo. Shave, H. P. Campion, Geo. Low, H. Beattio, Jas. Beattie. A. A, MacGibbon, A. Martin, amd Wm. Robson. Several other residents also attended. Mr J. Mac Gibbon stated that as one of the principal movers in the matter he would like to lay the views of the deputation before the members of the ) Council. They were all aware of the danger there was of the town being flooded last Thursday night. Some of the ratepayers of Jiacobstown had built a sod wall to. attempt to dia.m back the j water. If the water had risen another j 18 inches or two feet, it would have in- 1 viadted the town. The object of the de- ] nutation wias to ascertain if the Council bad any plans for the protection of the town. He (the speaker) had a few ideas which he would like to submit to the Council. The first and probably the best would cost about £SOO or £6OO. His suggestion was to extend the present sewer to where it crosses the railway line, and have a flood gate put in at the culvert. This would catch the whole of the water which passes the brickkilns. The water would) also serve to flush the drains which would be a good thing for the borough. Another plan was to build 1 up the ground where is had been excavated by the Railway Department to its original level. This would cost perhaps £SO to £IOO. The third suggestion was to blow up the rock below the bridge opposite the abattoirs amd have the river dredged to tthe bridge. What the cost of this latter .scheme would be he (the speaker) had no idea. Another matter he wished to refer to was that the culvert at the . end of Halton 'Street at East Gore had been filled up. which made the water form up in V big 'dam, it having no outlet. "He would suggest that the railway department be asked to close the culvert up. There would be no danger then of flood. In reference to Mr Mac Gibbon's suggestion regarding the land being built up to its original level Cr. Ilhodesi stated that lie was of'the opinion that it foadXbeen at its original level for the pa.-=.t 10 jean's. The Mayor asked Mr Mac Gibbon if his suggestion to have a bank built at Jacobstown were given effect to, where he thought the water so diverted would go to? Did the deputation give any consideration to the people on the. west side of the river and the cast- side of the Waimea ? Mr Mac Gibbon, in reply, said he did not think if the suggestion were carried out that anyone would suffer. Cr. P. C. Gray, speaking on behalf oi the Borough Counsel 1, asked what object the deputation had in view in .asking to have a wall erected? It seemed to him that they were going to save one portion of the town at the expense of the other. Could the deputation make any suggestion relative to raising the extra money necessary for flood protection works? Would the members agree to an increase in rates? If the work were undertaken thev must be prepared to pay for it. It was all nonsense to talk of protection for £SOO or £6OO. This was only playing with the matter. If the work were going- to be done it must be done thoroughly and effectively.

Mr J. H. Smith suggested that am alternative scheme would 1 be, to blow up the two barriers, one at the abattoirs and the other opposite the mans© and to deepen the river. Mr Mac Gibbon said that he would be willing to pay an extra rate if the work were done efficiently. He would: also suggest that to allay the fears of the people the Borough Council should co-operate with the County Council and have posts erected at Waifciia and Garston showing flood niairks, with a responsible man in each place deputed to communicate with the local police, stating the condition of the river. Mr Bowler said he had heard no mention made of a meport which was to he furnished by the Government engineer. The Mayor explained that the Public Works Department had the matter in hand, but Hon. W. Fraser was unable to let the chief engineer away while the Public Works Statement was in hand. The deputation (said the speaker) was taking, or rather attempting to take, the matter out of the hands of the Council. He fully expected that tli© deputation would have some feasible scheme to advance but instead it was only seeking information. -This it could have had by 'applying to the town clerk instead of going to the inconvenience of calling the Council together. When. Mr Mac Gibbon asked him to meet a deputation he (Mr MacGibbon) did not state what the object of it was.

Mr Bowler asked if a report had been furnished to the Public Works Department but not to the Borough Council.

The Mayor replied in the affirmative, stating that the report would be furnished when the head of the Department had time to com© down and check it. The Borough Council was just as anxious ?s anyone to have the mattea - of flood protection pushed ahead, but until this report came to hand nothing could be done.

Mr J. Holland, referring to one of Mr Macfllbbon's suggestions, said that anything done in the matter of railing the level of the land was throwing raoric y away and lie. would object to being rated for useless work. Councillor Burrows said that the sod wall that was talked about wag almost worse- than useless.' If a. wall were elected it would probably mean, getting into a lawsuit with the farmers higher up. If six inches of water were dammed back in one- place it would find an outUt in another direction. It appeared to him (the speaker) that the deputation must bo very dense if it did not know what the Council was doing in the matter of flood protection. All tihe correspondence between the Council, the member for the district (Mr G. J. Anderson) and the Public Works Department had been published in the 'Ens'gn,' so the people of the town had no reason to say that they were being kept in the dark. Mr MacGibbonV scheme,

if given effect to, would mean drowning out East GoTe to save the business side of, the river. He (the speaker) was quite sure that anything that might be done would be for the protection of the whole town and not a portion of it. [ Mr Bowler suggested that the Council should take the earlie-jt opportunity of urging Cabinet to furnish a report. Mr McDougall said he could not accept the suggestion as the Council was at present doing all it could in the mat-' tor. The >Mayor also refused to accept a motion, explaining that he could not do so, as the meeting was only a private, and not a public, one. Mr J. Hunter referred to the water which was dammed; up as the result of the culvert in Halton Street being blocked which he said was a menace to the health of the community. The 1 Mayor stated that he had authority for ; stating that the matter would re rectified' by the Railway Department. Cr. R. L. Christie said that as the Council had heard' the deputation the matter would probably be mentioned when next the Council communicated with the Public Works Department, whiVh might help to facilitate matters. Mr Mac Gibbon then thanked the Council and the deputation withdrew. The Council briefly discussed the matter, and on the motion of the Miayor, seconded by Cr. D. McFarlane, the following motion was unanimously carried, ' 'That the matter of flood protection be left in abeyance until a report is received 1 from the Publio Works Department.''