THE CANAL SCHEME.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 126, 9 September 1913, Page 4

THE CANAL SCHEME.

Harbour Board Membsrs Visit Waiuku. Waikato-SVfanukau ProjectAlthough the Aucklai.d Harbour Boa:d have only recently taken over the control of the Manukau Harbour, tha members have taken the very first opportunity to make themselves acquainted with the harbour ard the surrounding country, and on Thursday, 4th inst., a party of about 30 msde a trip with the objsci of viewing the Harbour district and the route of Ihe proposed WaikatoManukau cansl. As will have been noticed fsom the li t of nam«3 in Friday's "Time/' the party was a very representative ore. NATURE OF THE PROPOSED CANAL. The cutting of the canal itself wuuld present no great ergineeting difficulties. Already a suriey has been made by the Government's engineers, resulting in t!:e production cf plans showing approximately the levth and quantities of excavation that would be required. The total length of the canal ii roughly six milts, and lor nearly the whole distance the route lies over land which is flat or so slightly rising that, taking iiito consideration the swampy nalu.e of the soil, the cutting could bs simply and cheaply done. For about a mile and a-half, near Waiuku, the land is higher, but the maximum height tbove the proposed bottom of the canal is nowhere more than 65 feet. The greatest difficulties lie not on the land, but in the Waikato river, which is not in this portion properly navigable. IMPROVING. THE WAIKATO.

The Eurvey of the canal route was made some time ago by (he Roads Department. At the present time, however, a comprehensive survey of the Weikato river from tt.e Heads upwards is heing made by the drainage engineers, under the direction of Mr J. B. Thompson Its object is to prov'de data for the improvfment of the river as a navigable stream, ar.d it will extend up as far as Huntly, as wt 11 as covering some of the tributaries. Primarily the suivey is of importance, as it affects the improvements to the river propoced by the Waikato River Boprd, which has in view rot only iha deepening of the river, tut also the draining of the big swaups along the banks, lu the second place the survey is of valua in connection with the canal scheme, for while the river must te improved in any case, a canal would be of little cr no value ii the river remained in its present c:ndition. The Auckland parly arrived at Mercer cn Wednesday night, 3rd test. Leaving Mcreer at 7 a- m - the paity «as conveyed down tne Waikato river in cne uf Messrs Lapwood Bros', launches, asd as the day proved a delightful one the trip wes most erjoyable. The intention was to run down to the Wi?ikato head 3, but owing to the limited time this had to be abandoned, and ti.e launch wai run right up the Awaroa creek to Sommsrville's landing, barker's coaches were ia letdir.ess to convey the party on to Waiuku, where they were to be the guests of the Waiuku Reed Board to a luncheon. Mr Reid, of the Kentish hotel, had spared r.o trouble to p:ovida £n appetiEirg repast, £nd the large dining room was gaily t.edscked, and with the guests and visitois was filled to overflowing", some 80 sitting to dinner.

Membets of the party spoken to expressed themselves ai delighted with the trip, spcke in laudatoiy teims el Mr Lapwood's skilful navigation up Iha winr'ii.g Awaroa ceeb, ar.d the spanking teams provided fcy Mr Parker, Several iiiembers tf the Road Board met the party at the landing and helped with the transport arrangements. On Thursday morniig it was cot possible to hire a horse ard vehicle in Waiuku.

AT THE DINNER. As the Wcha wjs to wait at the iJa-d spit till 2 p.m. the ppeeche3 ha 1 of netersity to be curtailed. Mr Hii'gi son, chairman of the Waiuku Road Board, in proposirg the of "Our Guests," welcomed the members of the Harbour Beard to Waiuku, aiid expressed the opinion that this would be a red letter day for Waiuku. MR GUNSON'3 REMARKS. Mr J. H. Gunson, in reply, Eaid he wished to congratulate the people of thia district on the great prosperity cf the country they had passed through that day, and the wonderfully irr.proved state of (he farms. Ha could say as tha mouthpiece of the Auckland Habour Board that thc-y were ail profoundly impreseed with the capabilities cf the district. Tiny wera here, he said, as ihe Harbour Board not of Auckland but of Waiuku, ard having control of the waters of tha Manukau. He was glad to have had the opportunity of acquiring tn acquaintance with the conditions of the Waikato river. He said he supposed thfy would expect him, as mouthpiece of the Board, to make some definite announcemrnt regarding tha canal rcheme. He was sorry that as yet they were not able to tr.ake some a-y definite announcement, but at a caucus of the Board held just prior to the luncheon he ha.l been authorised to say thHt the Harbour Board appreciated their responsibility in connection with this canal, and they were not going to shirk that responsibility. In fact they were going to face it forthwith. A lot h«d been said about this canal by irresponsible persons, hut when the Auckland Haibcur Board took a matter in hand they wanted reliable data. Today they had s'arted their research and, vb he said before, they were profoundly impressed with the prospects. He was instructed by the Board to lay that they proprsid to call a conftrence forthwith of ail the local bodies in the Waikato that were in any way connected with this scheme. They wanted a fully representative conference, when the matter would be thoroughly gone into, ar:d he trusted some targihle results would be forthcomirg. Responsibility for the condition of things had litherto rested with the Road Board; now they had set up a committee, the Manukau Harbour Board committee, and this committee, with the Board's engineer would visit Waiuku shortly and view the harbour"und c r tbe different tide conditions t snd see what could be done. He was not herj to make a definite pronouncement, but the Board was fully alive to the prospects of this flju/ishicg district. They might consider dredging the channel, t!:ey might consider lock?, and at an early data they would make some definite announcement of their intentions. There were ten members of the Board present, ard he could say they were the weighty end of thej Board. (Laugh er). There was also a representative gathering. He could assure them all here that by the Harbour Boarl taking ever control of the Manakau their interests would be protected and furthered in the near future. (Applause.)

OTHER SPEECHES. Mr Sydney Nathan, chairman of the Charcoer of Commeice, oaid he had r.ot bsen in Waiuku for a quarter cf a century, and he wai astonished at the progress. The Chamber of Commerce knew that the welfare of the city depended on the country, and this canal project would have their hearty euprort. He cuuld not see thera were any insuperable difficulties in the way and thought from what he had seen to-day the project was one that should have early attention. He thanked the Road Board for their hearty welcome and hoEpitalsty, and he cnuld assure th:m that if the Auckland (hamber uf Commerce c uld assist them they could rely on its being done. Mr Harbutt. president of the Auckland Provincial Industrial Association, said he had always taken a great interest in this canal project. He was pleas=d to have had the "overnment drainage engineer (Mr Thom on) with them to-dty to explain tha various details. He assured them that his Association fully recognised the great benefits the canal would be t) this lovely district and the great benefits they would derive from

Mr Rowe, Mayor of Onehunga, said for the psst 30 years he had kept two things steadily in view; one was to get the Auckland Harbour Board to take control of the Manukau and the other to get connection from the Manukau harbour to the Waikato. He was pleased he had lived to see the former accomplished and hoped the other was not far away. He considered the interests of Auckland were the interests of Onehunga, ar.d the interests of Waiuku were the int rests of Onehunga. He was sure the merchants of Auckland would not allow this project to lag behind and he was certain the Auckland merchants would keep the spurs into the Harbour Board till the canal was an accomplished fact.

On leaving the hotel the gathering was lined up and a photo taken, after which members of the local bodies proceeded with the Harbour Board party in launches as far as the Sandspit where the Weka was waiting and expected to reach Onehunga about 6 p.m.