WHIROKINO CUT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 239, 6 September 1940, Page 2

WHIROKINO CUT

FINANCING OF SCHEME. AGREEMENT REACHED. A draft agreement between tin Manawatu-Oruua River Board and tm Public Works .Department under which arrangements are proposed tor financing tne IVhirokino cut was discussed at the board's meeting yesterday. Complete satisraction . witli the department’s terms was voiced, and it was decided to sign the agreement forthwith. Present at the meeting were Messrs J. Calltsen (presiding), vY. £>. Carter iS. Ramons, jtC Seifert, W. Jackson. T. D. Lynch, H. J. Lancaster, R. J Law and B. G. Gower. Under the agreement the board’s contribution is £e(X)O, with interest at the rate of 4 per cent, per annum, The board agrees to pay £SOO forthwith, tire balance of £<soo, with interest, to bo paid by five equal instalments of £l(iS4 14s Id. Interest will total £0213 10s sd. The first instalment is due on September 5, 1941, and subsequent instalments are to be paid annually thereafter on September 5. As soon as possible after the execution of the agreement the board shall apply to the .Local Government Loans Board for an Order-in-Council to enable the board,to incur liability for its snare of the cost. Mr Carter pointed out that there were no details as to when the scheme would start and when it would finish. The chairman said the department had estimated that the scheme would bo completed within 12 months. He considered the department had been very fair indeed. “We certainly appreciate ail that the Public Works Department, through the Minister, has done for us in the last two of three years,” lie added. Members emphasised the need for obtaining • a p.ian and details of the proposed works from the department, but agreed with the chairman that the terms were highly favourable to the board. Approval of planting with flax the areas severed by the Whirokino cut, also at Taupunga, was given in a resolution passed by the board. Messrs Law, Seirert and Carter were authorised to interview Mr A. P. Grant, the Public Works Department’s river engineer, on the matter. Dissatisfaction at the delay in reconditioning' the Rangiotu ltoad bridge was expressed, and on the motion of Mr Lancaster the following resolution was carried: 1 ‘That the Manawatu and Ivairanga County Councils be urged to come to finality regarding the reconstruction of the bridge, which is acting as a bottleneck to the flood waters of the Oroua and is retarding production in the district.” Subject to financial arrangements being made, it was decided to accept a tender of £459 7s 6d for the construction of the Taupunga No. 2 spjljwny. It was explained that this spillway was another of the series proposed at 10-mile intervals from the mouth of the Manawatu River to the Oroua River. - ~ T , An amendment moved by Mr Jackson, that nothing be done at Taupunga until work is (lone on the banks -at the Shannon bridge, was lost. It was agreed that an early start should be made on Spring’s cut.