PAGE’S POINT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 241, 10 September 1937, Page 2

PAGE’S POINT

PROTECTIVE MEASURES. MAKERUA BOARD’S OPINION. The opinion that the protection of Page’s Point, where the Manawatu River is threatening at Linton, should be made a national undertaking was expressed at the meeting of the Makerua Drainage Board yesterday. Mr H. Seifert presided, others present being Messrs W. G. Ross, T. D. Lynch, W. Jackson and J. D. Aitchison.

Reporting on a visit to Page’s Point, the chairman said lie thought it would be unprofitable to plant trees until the effect of the break could he better gauged. The board concurred, but agreed to purchase certain material for use in a groyne and to have it on hand when required. Heavy protection was needed, said Mr Lynch, and the responsibility for this should be on the ManawatuOroua River Board and the Government. The Manawatu River had to be carefully guarded and the Makerua banks protected from the foreign waters winch were really responsible for the break. If the Drainage Board assembled trees and materials for an inadequate groyne it might, in a sense, wasting the ratepayers’ money. The board had not sufficient resources to spend much on protection and the settlers were already taxed to the hilt. Mr Aitchison said it was not yet known what protection would be required. Government assistance was indeed essential, but in the meantime some temporary measure should lie taken. The modifications of the river’s course as a result of the break might continue for years. The River Board could do little by itself, said Mr Seifert, and should unite with'the ratepayers in an appeal to the Government.

Mr Lynch said he felt confident that the Government would not fail to take action to protect good land. Whatever the Makerua Board did would be useless.

Mr Jackson said that the Buckley Drainage Board had taxed its ratepayers to the utmost in raising loans to protect its banks, but now those banks were being scoured again, and sooner or later would go into the river. Yet the Government was not rushing to their assistance.

QUESTION OF FINANCE. Mr Lynch said Makerua settlers were loaded with the burden of internal drainage, yet for years had been throwing £IOOO a year into the river. That state of affairs should not continue. It was for the River Board to undertake the work as the controlling authority. Mr Seifert said he did not see that the River Board, of which he was a member, had done very much. Most of its members had been elected on a ticket that they would not spend any more money, and for years practically no money had been spent on new work. The River Board, if asked to undertake a radically different policy, would have to raise money. On whom would it impose rates? Was it to rate a wide area? It would co-operate in an appeal to the Government, but would be loth to spend money. It was decided to purchase trees for use if required in j temporary work.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr 0. J. Dolan) reported that the old main drain contract had now been taken over for the full length. “Akers’s drain: The contractor is maintaining steady progress and is now ten chains above the Maker ua-Rangitane Road in No. 2 section. Excavation in this section is comparatively light, but fairly heavy timber is still met with. Seifert’s (Iran, upper portion: Levels were taken during the month and arrangements made to have the widening and deepening done at a cost of £2B when arrangements have been made with the two owners regarding fencing. The work involves the removal of 300 cubic yards of spoil, an average deepening of 12 inches, and the lowering of a private pipe culvert by 16 inches. Coley’s bend: The survey and plans for acquiring the necessary land nave now been completed.” The overseer (Mr P. Y. Tucker) reported: “The planting of willows at Coley’s bend has been carried cut. The second of the 24-in. floodgates on the main drain, Mukapai property, has been excavated and relaid, and tie rebuilding of the stop-bank is now in progress. A number of trees were hauled to the bend of river immediately below Page’s Point, but as yet have not yet been placed in the river, and as the river is now flowing through the point I thought it advisable io wait till the water has subsided so as to get a better idea where to place the groyne.” The financial statement showed that since the last meeting rates totalling £lO6 2s had been paid for the year 1937-38, and £67 10s, including arrears, for 1936-37. The overseer was instructed to replace any willows that had failed to strike in the plantations. The overseer reported having travelled 483-miles in the board’s truck during the month.