HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16550, 28 May 1917, Page 7

HAURAKI DRAINAGE.

'„ NEW CANAL PROPOSED. 6 [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWX CORRESPONDENT.] PAEROA, Saturday. * A new proposal of drainage which the \. Public Works Department ha 3 now under consideration was discussed by a meeting of businessmen. , The chairman, Mr. E. W. Porritt, stated

that the meeting had been called owing to a communication having been received from tho Public Works Department regarding the construction of a canal to join the Waihou River with the Awaiti Lake. The assistant engineer of the Department had been instructed to make a survey of the proposed work, which would commence on tho Waihou side, near tho old flaxmill site. Mr. Young the assistant engineer, stated that it might be necessary to mako a lock to regulate tho two rivers. If the two rivers ' joined the canal it would be navigable at all times. It would bo unwise to close both rivers by stopbanks, as the transport value of the canal would be very great. It would bo necessary for the canal to bo 40ft wide and deep enough for floating vessels of a reasonable size. It had been mentioned that the Government would undertake the work and pay half the cost. The cost of draining the Awaiti would be about £6000. Mr. Dixon, manager of the Thames Dairying Company, said that lu's company had been doing business at Patotonga for three years, and that last season it had handled 112 tons of cream alone from Patotonga, on the Hauraki Plains, and was fullv convinced that next year there would bo 150 tons. A chance was offering now whereby Paeroa could bo made a great distributing centre for the Hauraki Plains. The proposed canal would bo a great advantage for the shipping of cream. It was agreed that all information on the matter be forwarded to the Government through the Thames Valley Drain-1 age Reference Board.