REMOVING WILLOWS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4064, 24 June 1938, Page 6

REMOVING WILLOWS

FROM WAIKATO RIVER. QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY. How much the Waipa County Council is concerned with the removal of willow growth from Waikato River was considered at the meeting of the Council on Monday. The clerk of the Hamilton Borough Council wrote re the removal of willow growth in part of the Waikato River, and alleged that certain landowners along the banks periodically lopped willow branches into the river, and these later helped to form obstructive sand-bars, which affected river traffic and the free flow of water from the Waipa Elver. Cr E. F. Peacocke said he knew of no obstruction upstream from the borough of Hamilton. He suggested that dredging of gravel by a private firm was causing the greater part of the trouble, and that it should be stopped, as the banks of the river were apt to fall in. The clerk suggested that the County Council had no jurisdiction, for no county roads were, affected. A river board would have control. He quoted the relative clauses of the Act. In further discussion it was stated that the private firm was removing thousands of tons of gravel from the river, presumably by consent of the Minister of Marine. Cr Peacocke said he could see no benefit to the watercourse, but there was undoubtedly considerable damage to properties abutting on the river. Cr Livingstone said Hamilton ratepayers were asking for removal oi certain willows. Cr Onion was of opinion that if the willows were removed it would spoil the beauty of the river banks. It was decided to mention the Hamilton Borough Council’s request at the conference with that body to-day (Wednesday). Meantime inquiry will be made from the Marine Department as to who gave authority to a private firm to dredge gravel from the stream. MANGAPIKO STREAM TO BE DEALT WITH. Waipa County Council, at its Monday’s meeting, was informed that an early start on willow clearing along the Mangapiko stream was planned by the Public Works Department. Reporting on proposed drainage areas, the engineer said he had been unable to make much progress in the .matter of a willow-clearing scheme. The chairman said it did not seem that much would be done in the life of the present Parliament. The clerk said - the Public Works Department representative had called on him and inquired if the Council’s contribution of £2OO towards the cost of willow clearing along the Mangapiko stream would be available, as the work was to be put in hand very soon now. It was decided to reply that the £2OO would be available as required.