Meeting at Lincoln.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6068, 26 October 1887, Page 3

Meeting at Lincoln.

♦ A meeting of farmers and others residing upon the low-lying land in the Lincoln district was held in the Lincoln Town Hall on Monday evening last. Mr Rairiey was voted to the chair, and briefly explained that the meeting had been called for the purpose of taking into consideration the very wet state of much of the surrounding country, to enquire into the cause of the same, and, if possible, find a remedy. The general impression of the meeting seemed to be that the cause of so much water at present lying upon the land was the immense amount brought down by the water-races acting as channels for surface water. Mr Spencer thought the practice of turning the water from the races into the shingle pits, when not required, most objectionable, aa'tho water filtered through, and burst up again where not required. Mr Leathern considered that the Selwyn County Council had been very apathetic in the matter, and mentioned the fact that the dwellers upon the low land were taxed by the Waimakariri rato for keeping the water away, and again taxed for the waterraces to bring it on to them. He deprecated the action of the Road Boards in allowing the earth taken from drains to be carried away by floods and deposited in the Halswell, whereby that river had become silted up. The best means for carrying off the water would be to thoroughly dredge the Halswell, and widen it to at least double its present width. Mr Peryman, the representative of the district in the Selwyn County Council, while sympathising with tho object of the meeting, and admitting the justness of the complaints made, considered the Council were not to blame, as no formal complaint had been made to them. As regards the Road Board, of which he was a member, they had 3pent so much money upon drains that they had none left for roads, and might more properly be called a Drainage Board. The Waimakariri rate was not levied by the Council, but by the Waimakariri Board. Mr Haydon had told the Road Board that he would hold them responsible if they did not keep the race-water off his land. At the present time there was mora water lying upon his land than had beeu the case for 15 years. Mr Fussell said that in the middle of last summer the springß had been higher than ever known previously in winter time. This he could only attribute to the enormous quantity of water brought down both, directly, by the races themselves, and, indirectly, by the water being turned into the shingle pits upon the higher lands. Mr C. L. Davies, Engineer to the Selwyn County Council, having an intimate acquaintance with the parts affected, considered the most effectual remedy would be the cleaning and widening of the Halswell river. The water - races benefited 122,000 acres of land, and by a test recently made the percolation was proved to be but seven per cent. He attributed the quantity of water now lying on tho land to the excessive rainfall of the last two years. Mr Ivey considered that the mischief was caused chiefly by tho water-races acting as storm-channels, bringing tho wator down at such a rate that tho ordinary road-side drains could not carry it away. By this means the land of the Agricultural College had been flooded. He thought that the County Council could, at a small coßt, make a proper outlet for the water, and by so doing make the races a benefit to all. The following resolutions were carried : — Proposed by Mr Muir, and seconded by Mr Dunn — " That a petition be presented to the Selwyn County Council, asking that a portion of the fees receivo i from those benefiting by the water-races be appropriated to making an outlet for the water." Mr Leatham proposed, and Mr Spencer seconded — " That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting that the Selwyn County CouncU should take immediate steps to make an outfall drain for the water brought on to the low land by the water-races." Mr Peryman offered to present the resolutions to the Council, and a vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting.