FLOOD PREVENTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14608, 18 May 1918, Page 4

FLOOD PREVENTION.

♦ - A conference between members of the River Board and the Horii W. D. S. - Mac Donald respecting flood prevention measures took place this afternoon. Mr. A. J. Cameron, presided, there being : also present: Messrs. C. A. Fenwick, W. - Tucker; .G. "V. Smith, and H. j Mackay. ; .". . : ■The chairman said there were several j ' matters oh which the Board desired ', to confer wilK" r Mr. Thompson,' chief ' drainage engineer, respecting flood prevention measures with a view to placing <arßcliem&JbeiarQ the ratepayers. It was thought that, some modifications m the 'fiphemes pfesented by Mr. Thompson and Mr. Laing Meason might be effected, and it was for the purpose of discussing" these matters they desired to confer with Mr. Thompson. There was the cut below the bridge, for instance, suggested by Mr. Laing. Meason avoiding heavy cost "of roadmg and bridges. The Board desired to securA a visit from Mr. Thompson at as early a date as possible. ..-.,■ ' Mr! Tucker explained the difficulty'regarding revisions of classification, and S>inted but the fact that the Railway epartment had sustained: considerable damage' as a result of the floods. ' ; Mr 1 . Fenwick said they '-desired to\%xterid'the' Board's area J ' Hia poirited out that '•■jjn.e'" recent ' litigation .permitted people to' erect: stop-banks and throw the. floret, water on to other properties, which the Board desired- should : : be • 'stopped. -«! Mr. Mackey urged that , the banking system wouhi simply, mean. that the man- haviiig the most' -.money 1 would . be able/ to throw the water. oh to.'his i'neighbor ."He urged that -the,, drovernnient should 'take' over the wh x ole matter. ' • ,\_ Tlie f chairman explained '.the effect of ■/' the. closing -^ of the • outlet at '♦ Hardy's crossing, }■ 'Waerenga-a-hika. • However, he did not think that these banks, being \ on^ly .. about 2ft. high, .would iclp much harm/- the -,bulk" of, the,? water going, into the^ld towards the.^Taruheru. Proceeding, he said that while' tie' Board . was » up .against . dear • labor, still he .... thought^the^Board would,'be.abfc*to go fto tne f ratepayers with 'a scheme on a r»! basis of Id m the ■ £ -on 1 first-class land*; 1 or. mno case at .'more than. 5s- per acre. ' That was . providing for f . a >?loan /of £45,000 specified; by Mr. -Laing Meason. They were,* however, faced with present increased? war prices. y \ Mr. r Smith said. that they desired the '"•■ Government to take power to stop pri- ■"•'.•■ vate banking. As a result of «.the re'i ce^t case people were .starting .banking, 'y and. the place would soon be hjee a chess t' board, tno water all -going down the " roads. •.. "The Hdn; Mr. Mac Donald' said herecognised,' as a resident of the district for over. { 30. years,, that it was a .'* big and impprtairt question. The' periodical v flodds*in past years had done litfle,damage,,'but things had changed' of "recent : years. Some time ago he had urged the ■ t settlers to take some united action m f tHe matter of flood preventipn. His re--marks might have, been, discounted, bf- )■ cause of tne fact that he,- had personal ,' : interests^ but he could itell them that he' was , m a position to protect his 'own property, which had never been seriously affected. As a result of recent floods he had Come' to the conclusion that the time hati'- arrived when, whatever the cost, there-must be something attempted to'" 'prevent this recurring disaster to thfe' flats of Poverty Bay. The Minister stressed the importance of looking to •the 1 future. and to the fact that these recurring floods affected the financial interests of all property owners. . (Proceeding.)