THE RIVER BOARD'S WORKS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXII, Issue 225, 15 October 1897, Page 2

THE RIVER BOARD'S WORKS.

The absolute freedom from inundation of a large area of land below Blenheim for the last fourteen days has been entirely due to the construe' tion of the present town banking. But for the filling-up at Lock-up Greek, all the Alabama Road ana Riverlands would be under water, and the whole of the crops and grass thereon destroyed. As it is, the only water on them is a slight amount of leakage from the Marlborough Factory floodgate (where the rivor water stood at the top of the freshes con* siderably above the water m the drains inside), and the back water from the lagoons, which stood yes* terday at some height above spring* [ tide level, and could have been entirely shut out at a small oost, This should prove to the moat seep* tical that the town banking and the Hose's Overflow outlet, carried to a successful issue, means the reclaim ing of a large area of fertile land. The settlers along the lower end of Alabama Road, Southside, and Riverlands ought (especially) to be grateful for the relief obtained, and should show their gratitude m a practical manner by granting the River Board power to rais6 the loan asked for to-morrow, and thereby enable them to put the coping-stone on their scheme of conservation. Mr Outhbert's estimate for the construction of banks on each side of the said Overflow, it may be interesting to many to know, was less than £2500. The balance of his estimate, excepting land, was some £6000, for excavating an inlet from the Opawa to this channel —an amount which, perhaps, will be entirely saved if the river will erode the material away.