WAIHOPAI RIVER EMBANKMENT

Southland Times, Issue 23229, 18 June 1937, Page 6

WAIHOPAI RIVER EMBANKMENT

TENDER FOR WORK ACCEPTED AN IMMEDIATE START The Southland County Council has accepted the tender of J. Crooks and Sons, amounting to £B3O, for the construction of the Waihopai river embankment. In addition to this amount, the council has to carry out certain work which will bring the total cost up to about £lOOO. The Public Works Department is giving a subsidy of £450 for this work, and the council is finding the sum of £4OO under Section 45 of the Finance Act No. 2, 1933. The balance of the money required to meet the council’s portion of the cost is being met from the riding funds of the Awarua and Wallacetown ridings. The loan of £4OO from the council will be repaid over a period of 10 years. The council has constituted a special rating district, and a special rate will be levied over this district to meet the interest charges on the loan and repayment of principal; in addition the area will be rated each year to provide a sum for the maintenance of the bank. The council has arranged with its contractors to start work immediately and the excavating plant is now being shifted on to the site. It is proposed to begin the construction of the wall it ffie west end, and the wall will extend from the railway embankment south of Bay road to the North road, thence running east to where the main ditch from Thomson’s property discharges into the Waihopai river. The bank will be constructed on the west side of this ditch and will be continued from the Waihopai river in a northerly direction to junction with the higher ground. The contractors hope to complete the work in approximately 10 to 12 weeks. The council is erecting flood gates on certain outlet drains from the area which will be enclosed by the embankment, and it is expected that the properties lying to the north of the embankment will materially benefit when the embankment is completed.