THE BLENHEIM RIVERS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIX, Issue 35, 10 February 1906, Page 4

THE BLENHEIM RIVERS.

TRAFFIC OF THE OIL LAUNCHES

The advent of the oil launch has given a new importance to the Blenheim rivers. Several of these craft now ply on the Opawa for both pleasure and business purposes; they are continually trafficing to the Wairau Bar; and they afford facile and (apart from first cost) economical means of communication with Blenheim for farms situated along the course of the river, and settlements as far abroad as Port Underwood, or even further.

Besides ■ having commercial and recreative advantages, these launches are of material value as river-conserva-tion factors. They have the effect of a dredger—that is to say ,they assist the steamers keeping up % continual scouring movement, which stirs up the bottom of .tbe river, and makes for a freer and cleeper waterway. Thus extra flood-water is enabled to reach the sea without overflowing the banks. The merit of this work would be perhaps more evident if all traffic were to cease for a few months and the bed of the Opawa began to accumulate silt, as that of the Omaka has done since the days when the landing-places were situated where the High Street bridge now stands.

Last evening a representative of the "Express," who was kindly given a "breather" on Mr F. Paine's fine launch, was informed that since the oil launches started coming up to the Alfred Street bridge the weeds in the Omaka have been pretty well scoured out and the waterway improved. Such a development is manifestly in the interests of flood relief. It is said that if a few logs and snags were removed, the launches would be encouraged to more often seek the higher reaches of the Omaka and extend their good influence.

Last evening's run on the river opened the pressman's eyes to the great recreative and tourist asset that Blenheim possesses in its rivers now that the oil launches have rendered their many beautiful stretches so easily accessible. Right at the very doors of the residents and the hotels is a most pleasurable form of outing. Perhaps the prettiest part, of the Opawa is the stretch spanned by the Nelson Street bridge, which is approached round the junction of the Opawa and Omaka. A heavy fringe of willow trees, old and young, beautifies both banks of the river, and (though it must be admitted the growth encroaches rather far on the stream at some points) it is to be hoped that our uiuesthetic River Board (which cannot,indeed, afford to be poetical) will never rob this portion of the Opawa of all its pristine scenic attractiveness. The current runs very swiftly tinder the bridge, and no better sensation can be obtained on the local rivers than^that to be derived from a position in an oillaunch as the little vessel is whirled along from the bend near Mr H. L. Jackson's" property right to the Blenheim Rowing Club's boat sheds. Bowling along the eight miles of the Opawa's circuitous course to the Bar, too, the eye is continually ple.ased ; and very fine effects are to be seen on the return voyage when the sun is setting or the moon is on high, making broad tracks of light to the vessel's bow. Mr Paine states that he has taken hundreds of visitors up and down the Blenheim rivers in his launch, and they have all been delighted with the excursion. It is a good place to take a visitor if it is desired to make a good invpression of our surroundings. Blenheim people hardly know the value of the asset they possess in their rivers.