CORRESPONDENCE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6884, 13 April 1929, Page 10

CORRESPONDENCE

The Manawatu-Oroua River Board Scheme To the Editor. Sir, —Mr. Hay’s modified scheme for quick and safe drainage of flood waters from the Manawatu is considered practicable on a commercial basis. The alternatives are loss of production through inaction, destroyed fields of best grasses, prevention of profitable cropping through fear of inundation, drowning of stock, injury to houses and furniture, and maybe occasional danger to human life. Amongst objectors to tho scheme arc those who have not been called upon for rates, but fear they will yet have to contribute to the scheme. Others are mainly composed of those whose lands have hitherto escaped serious consequences from overflowing of the Manawatu and are under C classification. These have paid a rate of sixpence, but sinco this- has only been levied once in two years, the actual money paid has been threepence per acre per year for administrative purposes. A few contend that an accumulation of payments over a series of years will be greater than any losses they are likely to sustain from heavy rains. There arc also others who fear engineers’ estimates will fall grievously short of the ultimate costs of construction and maintenance.

At the objectors’ meeting last Saturday a public man stated the Mana-watu-Oroua River Board had power to go on with their engineer’s proposals and strike the needful rates. A questioner asked why the Board did not go on with the work. Others remarked that the Board was not functioning. AJI these objections and criticisms can be satisfactorily answered. The Board was constituted and its members elected to find and proceed with measures likely to protect lands under their jurisdiction from damages through .flood waters. Tho chairman and members of the Board do not receive emoluments of any kind, and they pay their own travelling expenses. They are end&avouring to serve /their districts t> the best of their ability, and have nc intention of adopting any sehemo without giving it the most serious consideration. They believe tho modified plan recommended by their engineer, Mr. Hay, to be practicable on a purely business basis, but they are not prepared to proceed with it without full authority and a required subsidy from the Government.

They expect such assistance because they are assured that the work proposed is of national importance and is not feasible without Government assist ance. Precedents have been established.- Important drainago operations have been undertaken by the State in other parts of New Zealand, and we in this district have contributed to the cost of such through the revenue. Increasing production is absolutely necessary to provido means of employment for our growing population, and to yield needful aid to national progress. The Board believes that, tho Public Works and other leading Government departments will, endorso Mr. Hay’s proposals and assist future development of farms in the exceptionally fertile lowlands of our Manawatu and Oroua rivers.

Objectors are requested to remember that rate levies will only be made in proportion to actual benefits received under sound business management. Those who look fearfully forward are asked to take heart of grace, and to accopt the same rules for insuranceagainst floods as they do when assuring their lives, houses or stock. The Kairanga contains excellent country which has been protected against flooding by prudent embanking at the expense of enterprising owners of farm lands along the banks of the Oroua. An insistent question is— Why should these owners continue to be at the sale expense of protecting the Tidiest areas in their valuable district 1 Another query deserves thought. If the embankers referred to have found it profitable to provide,' at their own expense, extensive levees to keep flood waters off their properties, is not such a sound reason for other settlers to assist in maintaining such useful works along this meandering silt-carrying river 1 Let there be unity in counsel, and may all help the Mahawatu-Oroua River Board carry out its necessary functions. I am, etc., ANDREW BUCHANAN. Palmerston North, April 12, ’29.

Employment for Boys and Girls Leaving School To the Editor. Sir, —In answer to “Working Girl Who Knows" letter published in your issue of the 12th, it seems to mo about time the married women in offices, were given a rest, and some of the shop assistants and factory employees given their turn. There must be dozens in these branches of business, married, and employed in Palmerston North. Why keep on about . those only in office positions ? I am, etc., “ INTERESTED."

To the Editor. Sir, —Your correspondent in yesterday morning’s paper seems anxious to .institute a campaign against the employment of young married women in offices. This knowing working girl is apparently suggesting a remedy without' carefully investigating the true cause-s of the problem. It should be apparent that the reasons why single girls did not obtain the positions in question was that their qualifications were not sufficiently good. The Temedy would therefore seem to lie in their own hands, in that they should be prepared to devote a much greater proportion of their spare time to the improvement of their knowledge of office work, and perhaps a little less time and money to the fantastic lure of the jazz. If they arc not prepared to do this, they should at least be prepared to take up work in which proficiency can be attained more readily. Surely it is in the interests of the community that a skilled

worker should be engaged on skilled work, and tho worker possessing lesser skill should bo prepared to do' those jobs which are more readily learned, even if the work is a little more irksome. I am, etc., " ONE OF THE NOTORIOUS NINE.”