AID SOUGHT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23269, 3 August 1945, Page 7

AID SOUGHT

Appeals To Catchment Board Recommendations Of : Engineer Approved Reporting on the application by the | Waimate Hospital Committee for I assistance in controlling the Waimate ' Creek, the engineer (Mr G. R. Milward) | informed the meeting of the South i Canterbury Catchment Board yesterday I that the danger to the new" hospital ' block was not. immediate, as the present dangerous bend in the creek was some I chains from the buildings. The creek ] might work much nearer if not I arrested, especially as the land was ' low-lying. ‘ He asked the Board to , authorise the preparation of a survey ; and then to make application to the | Soil Conservation and Rivers Control i Council for a subsidy of £2 for £1 on an | estimated total cost of £3OO. The Hospital Committee would be expected to find £lOO of the total cost provided that the subsidy of £2 for £1 was granted. The work would be primarily for the protection of the hospital, but would incidentally protect portions of two other properties above the hospital authority. The recommendation was approved. Other recommendations by the Board’s engineer were approved as follows: In regard to the Kakahu River stopbank Mr Milward reported that it was within the Geraldine River Board district but not within the special rating area. The stopbank had been constructed by private owners at their own expense and had been located too near the stream bed. This, together with the blocking of the stream by extensive willow growth made it possible that flooding would again cause wash-outs if the bank were repaired in ‘ its present position. The decision to do any work rested with the River Board, as the area was under its control, and Mr Milward recommended that the Catchment Board give its support to a subsidy from the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council if the Geraldine Board applied for same. The spending of public money on this work would establish a precedent in regard to future maintenance and, consequently, would be a responsibility for the local body concerned. This was a further reason for his recommendation that a realignment should be made at the site of the large wash-out. Concerning an application by Mr J. Stowell in regard to creek erosion at Esk Valley, Mr Milward recommended that a survey be carried out from the junction of the Esk Valley Creek with the Otaio River to the upper end of Mr Stowell's property’ so that a scheme of control might be formulated and an estimate of the cost made. Waihi River Erosion In reference to the application by tile Geraldine Council River Board for approval of work costing £BO in connection with erosion on the Waihi River at Mr R. Allan's, and asking for consideration regarding a subsidy, Mr Milward said that the site had been inspected. He recommended, that the River Board be advised that the proposed work was approved, and that as the locality was w’ithin its area, the actual work would be its responsibility. He thought that the Catchment Board should support the River Board in its application to the Soil Conservation Council ior a subsidy of £2 for £1 on the proposed cost.

The Board approved of an application by the Geraldine Council River Board to the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council for a subsidy of £2 for £1 on the estimated cost of £l5O to undertake flood prevention work on the Waihi River within the Geraldine Borough. Mr W. M. G. Davidson, Kerrytown, who wrote in regard to the river protection works at Kerrytown. said that he had been led to believe by Mr A. C. Shaw that he would receive some benefit and. accordingly, contributed £3O toward the cost. Now that, he was receiving no benefit he asked if the £3O could be used for protection on his own property, as the river was in a very bad state at that point from which a large volume of water had broken across the plains during the February flood. The engineer was asked to interview Mr Davidson and report to the Board. It was agreed that consideration of the problem be held over until a complete survey had been made of a creek north of Fairlie which had been responsible for the flooding of the township.