THE WAIHOU RIVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19891, 9 March 1928, Page 12

THE WAIHOU RIVER.

Sir, —I see that the statement re the rise of the Waihou during the dry speil has not been scotched yet, although the Survey Department could do it in a few hours by instructing a competent person to take the level of the river from any of the bridges that cross the Waihou where the alleged rise is, as they have the records of the height of all bridges above ordinary water level. The fact is. there was no rise of the river during the time stated, as I can positively prove, as I was and still am working alongside of the river, on the deviation, where the new concrete bridge is being erected on the Cambridge-Tauranga Road, and can state positively that during January and February, while the hot, dry weather continued, when the rise was said to occur, the river fell two inches just where the bridge is being built. Just here the water is 20ft. wide and 25ft. deep, so that any increase should show at once in a rise of water. There is only one place where I could reach the water, the sides being straight down, and that was where tbo earth had been cut down to the rock for the foundation of the bridge, and I used it many times a day to get drink. The water fell just 2in. during this time, but rose again 3in. when the first heavy rain came. I think the origin of the affair, including the supposed underground river from Arapuni, can bo explained. Settlers whose farms border on the Waihou below Okoroire Springs, not knowing that 12,000 cubic yards of soil had to be thrown away and thtft the best and easiest way waw to throw It into the river, saw the water all soiled as though in flood, and codd only explain it by the water from Arapuni dam baying broken through, bringing silt with it. and imagination made the rise and did the rost. F.C.H., _ Contractor, Waihou Deviation.