INLAND WATERWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17753, 12 April 1921, Page 6

INLAND WATERWAYS.

THE WAIKATO RIVER.

IMPROVING NAVIGATION.

COMMISSION STARTS WORK.

EVIDENCE HEARD AT MERCER

[lit TRLEGEAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] MERGER. Monday. The Inland Waterways Commission, the members of which are Messrs William Fercuson (chairman). Jas. Begg, and Ashley Hunter, sat at Mercer to-dav. The commission spent several days last week in inspecting the Waikato River in order to become conversant with the conditions before hearing evidence. \ welcome was extended to the commission by Mr. A. G. C. Glass, chairman of the Waikato River Board, who said the board had asked for the commission for many years past. He hoped that in its deliberations the commission would put all bvgones on one side. In "reply, the chairman said he hoped the words spoken by Mr. Class would be hi rue i.u mind by the witnesses, and that thev also would put all bygones past. The most, important duty, of the commission, so far as the present sitting was concerned, was to consider the improvement of the navigation of the Waikato River and its tributaries, the effect on the river and adjacent swamp lands of the improvement works proposed or already executed by the River Board, and generally the navigation of the river. Question of Control of Elver. Mr, Class, referring to the question of the control of the Waikato River, said that as the board was to a certain extent upon its trial he desired to state it had no objection to a new board of control. I' had informed the Minister for Internal Affairs that if he would withdraw the Supreme Conrt action for the removal of the grovnes placed in the river and would complete the groynes, thus allowing of a thorough test, the board would resign and lei, a new bodv take control of the river. Mr. H. E. R. Wily, on behalf of local bodies and individual settlers, said he had been instructed to advocate the abolition of the River Board. The offer made by the board to the Minister was merely a conditional resignation. He considered the board*s scheme of works was based on erroneous data and had injured both navi- j gation and land drainage. The board had j long abandoned the production of its ! scheme, had formulated no other, and was, j he said, practically out of business. He j proposed in its place a board of control j consisting of members elected by rate- , payers and others nominated by the Gov- j ernment to govern the river from the j mouth to Cambridge. Condition for Navigation.

The conditions in regard to navigation on the river during the past 25 years were reviewed by Mr. E. T. Frost, flaxmiller and launch proprietor, at Tuakau, who represented the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. He stated that before the groynes ■were put in at Kaitangata the navigation channel kept to the north bank. The groynes closed that channel, which had silted up. The river showed by its action on the Maori Canal that it strongly desired to resume its old course. The southern channel had not been improved by the groynes. He was of opinion that if the groynes were removed the river would gradually restore the northern I'bannel. Trade'on the river was rapidly growing, and in fact had trebled in the past three years. A channel with a minimum depth of sft. afi the driest season would be of great assistance to shipping. A steamer would soon be running between Onehunga and Port Waikato, and river boats were beir.g fitted up for the trade between Port Waikato and Cambridge. Evidence on similar lines was given by Mr. G. S. Lnpwood Tuakau. who traded on the river from 1901 to 1915.

Mr. Bartholomew Geiaghty, settler at Tuakau, gave it as his opinion that drainage in the Tuakau swamp was not. as etficient as it was 10 years ago. He attributed this to the erection of the

groynes. Mr. Patrick Henry, farmer, of Ohinewai,. member of the River Board, and secretary of the Waikare Drainage Board, favoured the construction of a stone embankment at the mouth of the river, from Potter's Island to Miora Point, a distance of 600 yds. This embankment, he said, would define a bed for the channel rightthrough to the tidal waters, and would enable boats to navigate the river at all tides-

Draining Lake Waikare. Referring to the Lake Waikare drainage scheme. Mr. Henry. said 11,000 acres of first-class land, about one-third of -which belonged to the Crown, would be re•aimed by draining Lake Waikare into fcho Whangamarino Stream at Mercer. The land was at present worthless, whereas if it was improved a man would be sorry to part with it at £30 an acre. Much worse land had been sold for £100 an acre. If the Waikato River was shut off from Lake Waikare the river would gain an impetus that would result in a deep channel being formed at the worst part. When the Oneta Stream flooded into Lake Waikare it took eight days for the surrounding lands to be submerged, and a similar time for the waters to recede. A farmer could not put stock on the land at present because he might lose them in a week's time in the- event of a flood.

The scheme was supported by Messrs. W. Potter and J. R. Hill, the former stating that the Prime Minister, in replying to a deputation, had characterised the proposition as a thoroughly practicable one.

River Board's Operations. Evidence regarding the good results obtained from land which the operations of the River Board had enabled to be drained was (riven by Mr. John Dean, flaxmiller, of Pokeno." He said he purchased from the Crown 370 acres of land at Maungatawhiri for one shilling an acre pcoodwill, and after eleven years sold it for over £14 an acre. He considered the ratepayers in the River Board's district should be relieved of the liabilities of the board, which should be taken over by the new body which it was suggested should be formed. The history of the operations of the board was traced by Mr.* Glass, who suggested that the body should comprise the commissioner of Crown lands as chairman, and the land drainage engineer to represent the Government, two representatives of local bodies, two representatives of drainage boards, one representative of shipping interests, and une representative of payers of dues. Mr. Arthur Lapwood, river master, Tuakau, and formerly a member of the River Board, said he still had faith in the board's scheme, and thought it would be greatlv facilitated by the use of a large dredge to work in conjunction with the groynes. • Numerous other witnesses gave evidence regarding their knowledge of the river.

The chairman said it was desirable that if possible Mr. C. Kennedy, of Napier, who acted as engineer to the board,' should appear. Mr. Glass undertook to communicate with Mr. Kennedy. The commission, which commenced its sitting at 10 a.m., did not finally rise for the day nnt.il 10.45 p.m. ]'(, w j|[ resume its sitting to-morrow morning and will then proceed to Rangiriri. Evidence will be heard at Ngaruawahia on Thursday.