WAIHOPAI RIVER

Southland Times, Issue 25312, 15 June 1935, Page 2

WAIHOPAI RIVER

FLOOD PROTECTION LOAN POLL . APPROVED Hie ratepayers along the Waihopai River, from the Winton railway to Elies Road will be asked to sanction a loan to have the long-proposed flood protection work carried out, according to a resolution passed by the Southland County Council yesterday. As instructed, the acting county engineer (Mr G. R. Milward), submitted a report and estimate of the cost of erecting the necessary embankment on a contract basis and, alternately, with relief labour, and after it had been considered the council decided to approach the ratepayers. The acting county engineer’s report stated:— This is an estimate of the cost of the proposed embankment from the Winton railway eastwards along the north side of the Waihopai River to the intersection of Thomson’s ditch, a distance of 47 chains, thence northwards along the west side of Thomson’s ditch for a distance of 15} chains to the junction of higher ground. The cost by contract work would be £1350. By using relief labour the labour costs would be £2OOO, of which the council would find 9 per cent., or £lBO, and this, with other costs, would make the total charge to the council £550. Strict Precautions. Items of fencing and rabbit-net-ting to hold down the turf may be considered unnecessary, but it is to be remembered that the height to which this bank is to be raided is generally about five feet above general ground level and the strictest precautions should be taken against possible breaching by flood waters owing to the presence nearby of residential waters. The damage caused by water gradually spreading over the land, as it does at present, would be nothing compared with the damage caused by a sudden influx of water from an impounded reservoir five feet high. Assuming that a 10-year loan is to be raised for the work, the annual charges would be as follows:—

approval of the Unemployment Executive Committee to the work being carried out under the No. 5 Scheme. City Council Scheme. The city engineer is working out a scheme for the erection of flood gates on the Estuary at Stead street, but no figures are yet available. If this scheme is practicable it would do away with'the necessity for a bank, so I advise caution until the city engineer’s proposal is available. Council Discussion. Councillor J. McNeill said there was no alternative, but to put a scheme before the ratepayers. It might be a month, a year or any time before information was obtained from the City Council. To keep the Bay Road dry he was willing to spend £lOO any time. In the area were 180 acres and of that total 40 acres could be put in class D in the classification, which meant that it paid no rates. The area of 140 acres was not altogether like country farm lands, and some land would be converted from valueless to good land. The council had come to a point where the property-owners had to decide. He wanted authority front the ratepayers to go ahead with the scheme, either as a relief labour job or on contract. He moved that a loan proposal be placed before the ratepayers. Councillor A. S. McNaught seconded the motion. He said the Unemployment Board should be approached to see whether they would approve of the work. The board wanted work handy to Invercargill and suitable, and nothing handier or more suitable could be found. Councillor McNeill said the proposal could be put before the ratepayers as a contract work with the explanation that unemployed labour would be used if possible. The motion was carried.

£ s d Interest and sinking fund, 12J per cent. 168 15 0 Annual maintenance, say, 25 0 0 Clerical charges, 2£ per cent. 33 15 0 £227 10 0 The annual charges on a 10--year loan if relief labour were used would be as follows:— Interest and jinking fund, 12 per cent, on £550 68 15 0 Annual maintenance 25 0 0 Clerical charges, 2£ per cent. 13 15 0 £107 10 0 It would be necessary to obtain the