The Star. MONDAY, JULY 4, 1904. THE RIVER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8053, 4 July 1904, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, JULY 4, 1904. THE RIVER.

The Avpm Improvement League Committee is evidently not hibernating. Ib held Si meeting on Friday evening, when it was able to show that it ha 4 made at leastone important move in the direction of at* taining the object for which it was fornied. It will be remembered that during last summer the ootnmittee get up a aub-enm-Kiittee to «onsidep the question of obtaining an expert opinion- regarding the engineering: problems presented, and 1 this subcommittee has now submitted its report. This document covers a letter from Mr Cyrus Williams, the Engineer to the Lytteltpn Harbour Board, which may be said to put the question of obtaining expert advice in a nutshell. "No opinion of any. value can be given," says Mr. Williams, "until certain data have been obtained by actual survey and. qbservations on ' tlie ground." Mr Williams enumerates the points on ,which v irifonnation is desirable, and estimates the cost of obtaining the information and adds the welcome intelligence that an engineer competent to report- xm the question is in New Zealand; ,We need hardly say that we hope Mr Williams's advice will be taken. It may be accepted as beyond Hie regibm of further 'argument that a report is necessary. . As.ilr Williams remarks, .the report will hold good for all time, and consequently if nothing iurtlier is don© in the direction of carrying out the work • immediately, the money spent in obtaining it will not have been wasted 1 . It is estimated' that the report will cost £250. This is but a small portion of the amount now lying to the credit of the Floral Fete Committee,' and ear-marked for riven improvement. In tho past the committee has shown some reluctance to part with; any of this money, except in return for work actually done on th© river itself, but. considering the importance that attaches to a preliminary report there is no reason to suppose that it will persist in this attitude. On the contrary, we believfe. that it will contribute at least a portion of #be amount necessary, and we have.no doubt that the boating clubs and other bodies interested 1 in the improvement of the river, will subscribe the rest.