Manawatu and Oroua Rivers

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 165, 13 July 1940, Page 3

Manawatu and Oroua Rivers

MONTHLY MEETING OP BOARD Present at a. meeting of the Mana-watu-Oroua River Board in Palmerston North yesterday were: Messrs. J. Callescn (in the chair), W. 8. Carter, S. Parsons, H. Seifert, W. Jackson, H. iJ. Lancaster, R. J. Law and B. G. j Gower. j A request was received from the De- ! partment of Internal Affairs for the 1 payment of a sum of over £7OO, which I was the cost of a Government CcmmisI siou which sat in the early days of the ! board, 14 years ago. It was decided to advise the Department that Mr. Coates, when Prime Minister, bad promised to write this amount off, but his Government had been defeated before this was done. Replying to representations that the construction of the new T bridge over the Oroua at Rangiotu should be gone on with as soon as possible, to permit of 75 per cent, more water getting away at flood times, the Main Highways Board advised that so far only preliminary plans had been approved. The construction of the bridge was bound up with the Manawatu River control scheme, and this scheme had .not been definitely approved as regards levels. Tho final plans would not be available for probably another six months. Regarding financing of tho construction, the Kairauga County Council had not applied for provision on this year’s estimates, and in any ease the present shortage of funds would not permit of tho immediate construction of the bridge.

Acting on a recommendation by the engineer (Mr. H. R. Farquhar) the board decided to place gauges on the Shannon, Whirokino and Akers’ bridges and the Foxton wharf.

The Makerua Drainage Board was given authority to raise the height of its banks on both sides of Akers’ drain outlet into the Manawatu River.