FLOOD RELIEF.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXI, Issue 196, 12 August 1895, Page 3

FLOOD RELIEF.

. «- TO THH KDITOB. g IB As the matter of effectual flood relief to the town at the present time is engrossing the minds of engineers, amateur and civil, and also ratepayers, will you kindly allow me space in your journal to express my opinion of what appears to me to be a simple, inexpensive, and effectual manner of dealing with the overflow at flood time. To begin with, I think it would be advisable to purchase the whole of the properties through which it is proposed, in Mr Cuthbert's scheme, to cut a large channel from Rose's overflow to the sea, which would cost the River Board, according to property tax valuation, £8,000 or thereabouts ; then raze the bank to the ground at Rose's overflow, thus giving the water free access to 11 nature's channel," i.e. the low ground, and it would eventually define its own channel. When it is remembered that in the January flood of this year the water at Rose's overflow was within three feet of the top of the bank, which is about 20 feet high, it is only reasonable to assume that with the velocity of such a body of water it would scour a channel sufficiently large* to carry enough surplus water to afford the required relief to the town, and the permanent benefit of other valuable agricultural ground- in the district. As well as costing the River Board, roughly speaking, about dG5,000 less than Mr Cuthbert's estimate of the cost of a channel and the required banking attached to such a scheme, the Board could let for grazing purposes for about nine months of the year, the property purchased, at a fail and reasonable rental, which would relieve taxation considerably, and further, if the scheme were thoroughly successful, which to my mind seems very probable, the Board would have a very valuable asset in the ground so bought, as by a little judicious banking after the channel was once defined the ground would be worth considerably more per acre than at the present time, and could then be sold to any persons who wished to purchase at the advanced value, thereby giving the ratepayers generally the benefit of enhancement of the value of the ground instead of raising the value of the property of a few adjacent owners at the whole of the ratepayers' expense, which would be the case if Mr Cuthbert's scheme was given effect to. Further, it would be a way out of any difficulties that may crop up in the way of actions for damages by persons occupying sections through which the channel in Mr Cuthbert's scheme is proposed to go; whereas if Mr Cuthbert's soheme were carried out (which, bear in mind, I would prefer to see done rather than inactivity in the matter) the taxation would be considerably increased, and the only asset the Board would have would be the channel and the banking attached thereto, whioh would be valueless as such unless as an heirloom of taxation to hand down to posterity. Now, sir, I think I have shown you that it is possible to solve this water question in a very inexpensive way, comparatively at least, and trust now that the iron is hot some abler pen than mine will take up this very important matter, and above all, let us make up our minds to unite and either adopt my idea or Mr Cuthbert's scheme, as through our blindness to our own interests we have allowed property to depreciate considerably in value, and cannot hold out any encouragement to persons with capital to throw in their lot with us, which we sadly need. Thanking you in anticipation, — I am, etc, Sincere. Blenheim, 9th August.