WAITOA RIVER DREDGING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18533, 18 October 1923, Page 11

WAITOA RIVER DREDGING.

QUESTION OF CONTRIBUTIONS

LOCAL BOARDS' PROTEST.

[EI TELEGRAPH.—OWN '„OnnESFONDENT.] TE AROHA. Wednesday.

At the invitation of the Hungahunga, Elston, and Waitoa Associated Drainage Boards, Mr. H. Poland, M.P., and Messrs. 0. N. Campbell, chief land drainage enginer, and E. C. Taylor, assistant engineer, have visited the lower regions of the Waitoa district, for the purpose of inspecting proposed drainage works. The visitors were accompanied by representatives of the three boards and by several settlers. The principal question discussed was that of the continuation of. the Waitoa River dredging work from the intersection of the North Road to the Ohine Creek. The dredging operations were kept going by the Lands Drainage Department until about five months ago, when tho North Road was reached, and the associated boards were .then advised that before" the work could bo continued it would be necessary for the boards operating in the upper reaches of the districts to bear a portion of the costs. The estimate for the work.from that point to the junction •of -fas' Ohine Creek, about' three miles, was £7000, of which sum the Boards would contribute two-thirds. The boards expressed surprise, as they stated that the Hon. D. ■H. Guthrie, Minister for Lands, had promised that tho work would oe done to the Ohine Creek, and therewas no suggestion that the hoards would have to pay- a portion of the cost. Tht boards held that, even if the department would not continue the work to tho Ohine without the boards contributing, ■ they should at least cany on to the point 01 the Paeroa-Tahuna road, (is the Crown lands, in this interval, would benfit considerably by the operations. Mr. Poland supported the boards' contention, and stated that he personally j had had a promise from Mr. Guthrie that tho work would be done free to the boards. ' .'••'•'■ Mr. Campbell, chief engineer, said that he and his assistant' thought that the drainage boards operating higher up stream' should' contribute, and this was the recommendation he had made to the department. It'was resolved that the representative:, meet the Minister for Lands and the Minister for Internal Affairs when they visit the district. .Matters in connection with the Whakahoro drain, which is. the main outlet for the Waitoa district,, and which forms 'a boundary between the board's district and the Crown lands, were put beforo the chief engineer by .Mr. F. W. Walters, chairman ,of tho Waitoa Board. The Whakahoro has two outlets—one into the Piako River, on the left, and the other i into the Waitoa River, on the right. At ■ the mouth of the Piako there is a floodI gate, but when the river rises, the gate ! closes, with the result that in many cases I the drain overflows, and sends water over the Crown lands. The board r**immends cutting a canal from the Whakahoro down the natural fall of tho country in a direct line, and intersecting with the Waitoa River in the vicinity of the Te Huehue cut. The Government's esti- ' mate for this work was approximately £ '(VX)O, while the board's estimate wat £4000. As an [alternative, the department- proposed to construct a catchment drain, either from the Piako or Waitoa River, approximately 90 chins south of the Whakahoro drain, the estimate for this facing considerably less. The engineers admitted that the beard's suggestion would be the more beneficial. How. ever, Mr. Walters explained that the board was unable to raise a loan to do the work.