FLOOD CONTROL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 200, 24 July 1926, Page 9

FLOOD CONTROL

KAIRANGA SETTLERS' INTEREST RATEPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION FORAIED. BOARD’S PROPOSALS DISCUSSED ‘ further discuss matters in conthe proposed works of the Manawatu-Oroua River Board, a meeting of ratepayers in the board’s area was held this morning, an attendee 0 u Pwards of sixty resulting. ' wa ? elected to the chair. Present by invitation were Alessrs ™ Carter (chairman of the board), /i‘ , Ha y (engineer), P. E. Baldwin (legal adviser) and N. P. Nielsen (board member). The chairman reported that the committee set up to consider the matter of forming a ratepayers’ association had reported favouring the suggestion. The objects of the association, it was reported, should be to protect in- every way the interests of the ratepayers of the district affected by the board. To meet expenses, it had been recommended that a levy be made on members of 5s per £IOOO of .capital value. The meeting agreed to the proposals, but amended the suggested levy to 2s 6d per £IOOO of capital value. The following executive was elected : Alessrs AI. A. Eliott, A. Buchanan, D. Buchanan, D. B. AlcEwen. A. Sutherland, A. Guy and A. Mathieson. Air Eliott was appointed chairman. The delegation from the board was then invited to place before the meeting the proposals it had in view. BOARD’S SCHEAIE. Air Hay, addressing the meeting, stated that the cut it was proposed to make in the Moutoa district would be eleven miles long and would have the effect of cutting 20 miles off the length of the river. It was also proposed to make a cut of 35 chains in length to shorten the Oroua river. The whole scheme, which was the result of considerable investigation, was estimated to cost, with earthworks, land and, buildings, some £450,000. The board was satisfied that this was the best scheme, and the one that would give the maximum amount of benefit for an economical expenditure. The scheme was one of national importance, and, accordingly, the board thought that the Government should assist in the financing. The commission that was to sit shortly would have to decide the amount of betterment to be received by each district. It had been asked why the board had not decided on a less expensive scheme, but he wished to point out that anything less would endanger the safety of the Alakerua banking works. Air Hay then answered a number of questions. In reply to Air A. Buchanan he stated that, with the board’s scheme, it would be possible to take tidal barges up to the junction with tho Oroua. In reply to Air D. B. AlcEwen, Air Hay stated that the total betterment from the scheme, including betterment at Alakerua, would be, in round figures, about £1,000,000. Air A. Buchanan asked whether there was any guarantee that the estimated cost would not be exceeded. Air Hay replied that tho estimates had been very carefully gone into, arid, before anything was done, they would be checked by the engineers of the local bodies concerned. Mr Baldwin, in reply to a further question, stated that the board was out to lighten the burden, on its own ratepayers. GOVERNAIENT ASSISTANCE. Air Carter stated that the board did not consider the scheme a good business proposition unless substantial assistance was forthcoming from the Government. Air Hay mentioned that the board could advance just as good reasons to the Government for a substantial subsidy as other boards which had been successful in their requests. Mr A. Alathieson expressed the opinion that the higher and dryer any particular land was —provided it was included in the rate-paying class —the more it had to pay in proportion to tho betterment received. Air Hay. pointed out that the present basis of rating was the only one that the board couldadopt for its preliminary work. No land would be rated for the scheme out of proportion to tho betterment received. In reply to a question by Air Alathieson as to what would happen if the estimate of tho cost were exceeded, Air Hay said it was up to the ratepayers to, first of all get substantial Government assistance, stressing the fact that the land could only afford to,pay for a definite amount of betterment. Then, if the estimate wore exceeded, the Government, being committed, would have to find the balance. Replying to certain points raised, Air Carter said that, if anyone was dissatisfied with tho constitution of the board, that person had bis or her remedy. The board had already accomplished much useful work, and the data it had collected were invaluable. The matter of river transport, in the event of the board’s scheme being carried out, was not the joko that it might appear to be. The board hoped that the ratepayers would get behind it in its endeavours to secure Government assistance for the work. On no further questions being forthcoming, a vote of thanks was accorded the board representatives for attending. OPPOSITION TO SCHEME.

On their retiring a resolution was passed, on the motion of Mr Eliott, agreeing to the re-directing of a petition sent some time ago to the Gover-nor-General praying for the abolition of tho board. It was pointed out that the petition had been wrongly addressed; it, really should have been sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. A further resolution was passed protesting against the commission and the proposal to spend £450,000 on tho improvement scheme. It was further decided that the executive appoint a deputation to go to Wellington to support the petition. The meeting then adjourned till next Saturday.