RIVER CONTROL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 193, 20 July 1925, Page 7

RIVER CONTROL

MEETING OF PALMERSTON NORTH BOARD. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO BE SOUGHT. The Palmerston North River Board met this morning, there being present Trustees F. J. Nathan (chairman), Pitzherbert, Jos. Batchelar, Hodgens, Graham, 11. Batchelar and Hopcroft. Trustee J. Batchelar reported upon a mooting which he had convened to consider the better protection of Anderson’s bend, the site being visited. The party was told that 1 1-5 acres of land had been lost at Mcßae’s bend in 36 hours on the occasion of the last flood, while the position at Anderson’s bend was grave. Remedial measures were, of course, lie said, a matter for the consideration of the engineers.

COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME WANTED. “Anderson’s bend is in an appalling condition, and the unfortunate people there are in a bad predicament,” said Trustee Fitzherbert, who added, however, that qnly a costly and comprehensive scheme could protect that point and Gosling’s bend. It would be useless doing minor , works. The chairman drew the attention of the meeting to the fact, that the board’s income was only about £2OOO a year. The engineer (Mr Jiekell) reminded the board that since its £IO,OOO loan had twice been “turned down” it had decided to proceed out of revenue. Citing precedent gases, Mr Jiekell said that Government assistance might be sought, although he agreed with, the chairman that that meant that work would have to be done under Government supervision, and in the past operating under such circumstances had meant that the money had been more or less wasted. The board, he commented, was not in a position to launch out on a comprehensive scheme, but Government assistance in any case would bo help,ill. It was clear, said Air Nathan, that such work as was needed to protect Anderson’s and Gosling’s bends could not be done by the board without assistance. lie did not think that, having regard to the calls made upon it, it would be much use approaching the Public Works Department. “Every piece of work- in our experience, which has been done by the Public Works Department, has gone down the river by the first big flood,” he added. Trustee Ilodgens suggested that the Government might be approached for assistance in the matter of purchasing the land which was bound to be washed away, but the chairman said that recourse could hardly be made to that measure.

It was eventually decided that the chairman approach the Minister with a view to learning “what sort of reception the request for Government assistance would receive.” EXTENSIVE FLOOD DAAIAGE.

The report of the engineers (Aiessrs Jiekell and Gilniour) dealt with extensive damage as the result of the recent floods, ’the report was as tollows : —The past month has been a very inclement one and the river has been in continuous flood (not an “old man” flood) for a fortnight, the height of such flood being at a level to cause considerable erosion to the banks of the river. Anderson’s bend : At this place there has been about 16 chains of willow and pine tree protection carried away and the width of bank eroded will average about 66 feet for a length ot 16 chains. Gosling’s: At this point, commencing three chains above the site ot the proposed groyne an- 1 extending 15 chains down stream, the width eroded will average 50 feet from end to end. It was found necessary to move 'the whole of the board’s plant back on two occasions to a place of safety. The piles driven on the land have been scoured out. Two of these are anchored and the remaining four will ho recovered when the water recedes sufficiently. The cut opposite Lane’s : The Hood water scoured this out in many places and built up the shingle above, and at the outer end of the new groyne above Durden’s at the outlet of tiie cut on the left bank, it has taken away the said bank of shingle and lupin for a length of 2j chains, the width averaging about a chain. Ilopcroft’s groyne : There is one more pile leaning down stream and the stone mat has moved owing to logs projecting from tile bank under it beingscoured. The hank at Durden’s above this groyne for a length of about seven chains has eroded by a width of aliout threequarters of a chain causing Air Durden to iuive to remove part of his cow shed, to prevent it falling into the river. Down stream below Hoperoft-’s groyne there has not been, much erosion. Old racecourse : There has been little erosion at this place, though there may be a width of 10ft to 15ft eroded at a few points. Fitzroy bend : Above Fitzroy street for a distance of 12 chains the hank lias been eroded by an average width of about half a chain, whilst below Fitzroy street to Air Lane’s —a distance of 21 chains—not much damage has been done except just at the small tree protection constructed by him where some of the trees have become displaced and require to he strengthened by additional branches and rel-securing. Brightwater Terraco groynes: These groynes continue to do good work, there being a good deal of accumulation behind them, whilst at the outer end of No. 1 groyne the shingle bank is going further down stream. Alcßae’s bond : At the up and down stream ends of this bend for a distance of quarter of a mile there has been but little scour, hut below these places for about half a mile there has been some scour but it is hard to judge the width without making a survey. DEEPENING THE CUT. To save Anderson’s bend, said Trustee Fitzherberl, commenting on the report, seemed hopeless. He thought that the board should concentrate on deepening the cut through the island opposite Fitzroy bend and thus give valued protection to the areas which could be saved. ! It was agreed that for the present at least the board could only proceed with I the programme in hand and the engineer’s I report was adopted. CORRESPONDENCE.

From the board’s solicitor advising that the action between the board and a pipe company had been before His Honour Mr Justice MacGregor who made an order that the injunction sought by the board should bo issued and that the defendant company should pay £lO 10s costs. 3he ac * tion was one in which the board sought to restrain defendant from taking metal along tho river front.—The advice was received. From Mr Charlesworth, a ratepayer in the board’s area, objecting to tho erection of groynes in certain localities and work being done by day labour. Ihe letter was received,/the objections beingnoted. GENERAL. Mr Lane waited on the board asking for assistance to carry out certain protective work, the request being granted. The clerk was instructed to sue for all rates due on March 31, 1925, if not paid with tho 10 per cent, penalty added, by August 17. Acocunts totalling £l4B 19s 3d wero passed for payment.