WILLOW MENACE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20541, 6 October 1936, Page 9

WILLOW MENACE

CLEARING TO COST £8377 KA KA HU AND TE MOAN A RIVERS In acceding to a request by Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., who wrote to the September meeting of the Geraldine County River Board expressing grave concern at the growth of willows which choked up miles of the Kakahu and Hae Hae Te Moana rivers, and suggesting that the clearing of the rivers might be made a national work, the Board’s engineer (Mr C. E. Bremner), reported to the meeting yesterday that the work, together with the purchase of two traction engines, would cost £8377 ss. The estimates prepared by Mr Bremner were as follow: Kakahu River, willow cleaning and probable banking of low lands between Sharpe’s Bridge and Hilton Settlement, 5J miles at £llB 10s a mile, a total of £651 15s; willow clearing, 14 mile section at £382 a mile, total £5348, ten per cent allowances for contingencies £6OO, grand total £6599 15s. Te Moana River: Willow clearing from junction with Kakahu River to half a mile above Speechley’s Bridge (half mile section) and a 5i mile section at £95 a mile, total £522 10s; lopping and securing willows along banks liable to erosion, three and a-half miles at £3O, £lO5, total £627 10s. Estimated cost of plant: two traction engines at £5OO each, £1000; two trailers at £5O each, £100; and two sets of blocks, steel ropes, etc., £5O, total £ll5O.

Totals: Kakahu River £6599 15s. Te Moana River £627 10s, plant £ll5O, grand total £8377 ss. In his letter to Mr Burnett, enclosing the estimates, Mr Bremner pointed out that the figures supplied had been based upon a close inspection of the Kakahu and Hae Hae Te Moana Rivers, and should, therefore, be a close approximation of the expenditure required to give substantial relief to the properties affected. Work of this description was of an intricate and somewhat troublesome character and, after the Board’s first experience with the flanking landowners, it had been found desirable before starting new work to obtain from all affected owners a signed undertaking indemnifying the Board against all claims arising from its operations of all and every description under the loan expenditure. Other matters must also be provided for. such as the right of access to, and the disposal of the wood removed. This, at first, had been a fruitful source of trouble and loss to the Board at times, but with care and viligance it had realised about £2OO from the sale of firewood. There had also arisen the trouble with the settlers for room for stacking and depositing trees pulled from the river-beds, and the stacking of the large quantity of unsaleable roots, stumps, etc., until they became fit to bum off when dry enough to do so. These matters required to be settled definitely before any work was commenced. Preparing Estimates In his report earlier in the meeting the chairman (Mr K. Mackenzie) remarked that there were too many such applications for information, and the engineer spent considerable time in working out estimates. The engineer had walked about 20 miles up and down the rivers in order to get something like an Accurate estimate. It was not likely the County River Board could undertake such work as the area affected was not in a river area and would not benefit either roads or bridges, but only the settlers along the banks. If Mr Burnett could get the work done as a national scheme It might be all right, but it was doubtful if the Government would undertake it. It was just a question whether the engineer should supply all these details. The engineer had just answered 34668 questions for the Main Highways Board in regard to bridges within the County area, but there might be some excuse for that. The County Engineer (Mr C. E. Bremner): Yes, I had to answer 1156 questions, and, as three copies were required, that made a total of 3468. In fact, I ran out of forms, and, in reply to my application for a further supply, I was Informed that the Government Printing Office was so busy that it had not had time to print a further supply. Consequently, I had to write out the remainder of the questionnaires by hand. The chairman: The County Clerk (Mr A. A. Readdie) has also been inundated with statistics which he has been preparing for another Government Department. Heavy Expenditure After the engineer had read his letter to Mr Burnett, the chairman remarked that the Board would have to watch out that they were not landed with heavy expenditure in connection with the clearing of willows from the Kakahu River, unless the settlers were agreeable to pay for it. The only solution, as tar as he could see, was to form a rating area, but if the settlers were not willing to pay interest on the loan, the Board could do nothing. Cr. F. R. Flatman: It is beyond the landowners altogether. The chairman: Yes; they could not raise the money. Cr. Flatman: The preparation of the estimates of the cost by the County engineer has meant a jolly lot of work for nothing to come out of it. Cr. A. Bisdee: We would have to spread it over a large area. The chairman: Yes, but who is to pay for it then The man miles away from the rivers will not feel like paying for the work. If we receive more correspondence we will reply that we are not going to tackle the Work as a County River Board job; the settlers cannot afford to be rated for it, and our funds could not carry it either.