RIVER PROTECTION WORKS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5851, 23 April 1897, Page 2

RIVER PROTECTION WORKS.

Yesterday the members of the Mandeville and Eangiora Eoad Board, with the Mayor of Eangiora and Mr James Carmichael, chairman of the Council's Works Committee, paid a visit of inspection to the Ashley Eivor, opposite Ngapara and Bannerdown, Fernside, where, in recent freshes, the stream has made serious encroachment into the land on the river bank. The party was met in the locality by Mr D. Buddo and other residents in the neighbourhood. The necessity for dealing with a stormwater stream which flows in the direction of Eangiora down what is known as the Eacecourse Gully was first made evident, and it was arranged to divert it into the Ashley near Mr T. Miles's house, the people agreeing to do the work if the Eoad Board constructed a good ford on the road. An inspection was then made of a groin put in to divert the main stream of the Ashley from encroaching on the roadway opposite Mr TVilder's residence. It was found that the structure, which was of an inexpensive character, had acted excellently, the stream having completely left the bank, and cut for itself a deep and well-defined channel without doing any damage to the groin. The party next went to a spot about a mile down-stream, where it was found the current had, in flood time, made a set for the bank and carried away a considerable area of land. It was obvious that if the encroachment continued the country to the southward would be in danger of an overflow, and it was decided to put in a groin to avert this danger, and to ask the Borough Council to contribute a small sum to the cost of the work. Before, returning home tho party was hospitably entertained by Mr J. Kolclior, a mWiiW of the Eoad Board.