WAIKATO SWAMP AREAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20256, 16 May 1929, Page 10

WAIKATO SWAMP AREAS.

SCHEMES FOR DRAINAGE. RIVER SILTING PROBLEM. REPORT BY EXPERTS WANTED. WHANCAMARINO PROJECT. [nY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] MEIICER, Wednesday. Travelling three miles from Mercer by launch this afternoo'n, tho Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, was shown tho great extent of the Whangamarino and Maramarua, swamp areas, and his assistance was invited in support of a movement for the drainage of the swamps as part of a comprehensive scheme for dealing with the silting of the Waikato River and the draining of various contiguous swamps.

Mr. J. Dean, the representative of tho Mercer Riding of the Franklin County Council, in explaining the position, said a drainage association was formed in 1911, but was shortly afterwards superseded by a river board which controlled the Waikato River from tho heads to Huntly. Tho operations ot tho board were not successful, and its liability now stood at over £9OOO. A movement representing interests from the heads to Hamilton had recently been initiated with a view to a comprehensive scheme being advanced to doal with the silting problem. Debris From Arapuni.

It was estimated that as a result of the works at Arapuni between 4,000,000 and 5,000,000 cubic yards of debris were brought down thb river last year. Besides dealing with tho river problem,' continued Mr. Dean, it was desired' that the comprehensive scheme proposed should deal with the drainage of tho Whangamarino and Maramarua swamps to rnaka those areas available for settlement. The swamp areas totalled about 24,000 acres, of which 13,000 acres were Crown lands. It was urged that the Government should set up a board of engineers to provide expert data designed for the improvement of the river and drainago of the swamp. It was evident that gravitation would not solve the problem.

Mr. Dean added that it was felt the river problom would be aggravated if the Woodlands drainage scheme further up tho river was proceeded with, as already islands and obstructions were appearing up the river. County Council's Position.

Mr. A. Hall, M.P. for Hauraki, and Mr. J. ]N. Massey, M.P. for Franklin, supported tho request for the setting up of a. board of experts, stressing the fact that tho problem was in a senso of national importance. Mr. Massey, speaking as chairman of the Franklin County Council, said certain responsibilities of the river board had been thrust on his council by Act of Parliament, and the council was anxious that those responsibilities should bo placed elsewhere. The Minister, who had similar representations made to him at Rangiriri last week, said the matter was admittedly one for experts as no ordinary laymen could find the best solution of the problem presented by the great Waikato River and tire vast swamp areas. Ho would bo pleased to place the representations before tho Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works.

Mr. Massey said Mr. Ransom had promised to set apart a day later for an inspection of tho river. The deputation also asked for a free grant of £IOOO for an access road to the Koheroa block comprising between 4000 and 5000 acres of Crown lands. The block is in the vicinity of the Whangainarino and Maramarua swamp areas. Mr. Forbes said he would also placo that request boforo Mr. Ransom.