RIVER PROTECTION AT OTAMA

Southland Times, Issue 24237, 21 September 1940, Page 8

RIVER PROTECTION AT OTAMA

COUNTY COUNCIL DECIDES TO CUT DIVERSION

An offer to contribute £325 towards the cost of the proposed flood protection works at Otama along the Mataura river bank was received by the Southland County Councili at its meeting yesterday from the farmers on the Otama Flat. After some discussion the council decided to notify the farmers that it would accept £125 towards the cost of cutting a river diversion. This would be treated as a separate job from the construction of the protection bank and it would cost £5OO.

In a letter written on behalf of the farmers, Mr W. Dickson made the offer of the contribution of £325. The engineer (Mr G. R. Milward) said that the estimated cost of the protection work was £l5OO, of which the Government was to find £750 and the farmers and the council £375 each. The farmers’ contribution was £5O short of what it should be.

Cr F. F. Trapski said he was more infavour of having the river straightened. Cr G. Wraytt said that there would always be some liability to the council if it had the banks put up. There had been a meeting of the farmers at Otama to discuss the whole proposal, said Cr Trapski, but some of them were not interested and did not go near the meeting. After a suggestion that the matter be held over until Cr Trapski had inter-

viewed the farmers at Otama had been considered, the council decided to notify them that it would accept £125 .towards the cost of cutting a river diversion.