WANT ESTUARY MADE USEFUL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17834, 30 April 1926, Page 10

WANT ESTUARY MADE USEFUL.

PLANS OF IMPROVEMENT DISCUSSED AT MEETING. | BENEFITS TO THE CITY ARE GIVEN EMPHASIS. A motion that the Christchurch River Conservancy Bill be redrafted to suit altered conditions, and that power be sought, to vest the Estuary in a Board of Control representing the Christchurch City Council, New Brighton and Sumner Borough Councils, and the lleathcote County Council, was unanimously carried by a public meeting of over 50 held in the Commerce Tlall last night. There was a fair amount of discussion prior to the motion. The Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) presided, and representatives of many local authorities were present. Mr R. B. Owen said that in this district there were two fine rivers, and one of the best estuaries in the world. There was no body to control the Estuary. A small board, with small rating powers, should be set up to take control, to take up work where the Drainage Board left off on the river and to take in hand areas near the Estuary that, apparently, at present were waste lands. The chairman said that the meeting was not there to criticise the Drainage Board or any other local body, but to sec. if there were statesmen who would handle the present situation and prepare for the future. It was gratifying to know that the Drainage Board had begun operations on the river, but it was wished to carry the work to the sea, continuing what the board had begun. That was one problem. 'The other problem to consider was how to deal with the waste lands. There was no doubt that if a scheme outlined by a sketch now in the Mayor’s room became an actuality, Christchurch would have the most beautiful area of its kind in the Dominion.

Mr \V. 11. Nicholson, Mayor of Sumner, said that the city and the Drainage Board should be congratulated on the board's foresight in improving the river. The health and happiness of the people should be the first consideration of public men. Proposals now put forward would help in that direction. The first thing to deal with was the saturation level of low-lying lands. The second was improved access to the sea. That would foster the sea spirit amongst the lads of the district. The Estuary was the best training-ground in New Zealand for naval defence. The value of that kind of training had been demonstrated in Otago Harbour in the contest for the Sanders Cup. As to finances. £2OOO a year could be raised by a special rate over the area affected; it would not be felt by a single family in the area. Parliament should be asked to pass a special empowering Bill. The rating powers could be limited, in order that they should not become oppressive. A BILL SUGGESTED. Mr ,T. Gamble. Mayor of New Brighton, said that the Drainage Board would cleanse, clear and beautify the river as far as Bromley. The public now were asked to arrange to carry on the work from Bromley to the sea. The River Conservancy Committee should be asked to re-draft a Bill it had prepared, and to have it submitted to Parliament in order that work sketched at a previous public meeting might, lie done. Mr R. T. Lees said that it would be better to give the City Council control of the river than to set. up a new body. The council could be given authority to take under the Public Works Act strips of land along both banks of the river. Some people hoped that the council would take over the Drainage Board’s work in that direction. He believed that the New Brighton Borough Council and the lleathcote County Council would hand over a considerable proportion of their rights if they were convinced that the river would be dredged to the sea. The values of the lands concerned would be affected. Valuable building sites would be created. There should be one body, already in existence, to take control of the whole scheme. Mr Nicholson said that, tinder the scheme of control already prepared, the City Council would always have a majority on the new board. It was desirable to carry out the suggestion that other bodies should be represented on the board. BOARD OF CONTROL. Mr E. H. Andrews, chairman of the City Council’s Works Committee, said that the Drainage Board was carrying out its duties in respect to the river quite satisfactorily. He believed that Mr R. Stewart, the engineer would sweep the river clean down to the Drainage Board’s boundary. Many citizens were concerned as to what would take place in regard to the -silt from that point. It might be possible to force it into the sea, but it was too valuable to be treated in that way. The best plan was to set up a new body to take control of the scheme now proposed. The question was a very important one to the city. It .was true, as Mr Lees had said, that reclamatipn would provide valuable lands, but the citizens were not inclined to take private low-lying lands and build them up for the benefit of the private owners. He moved that the Christchurch River Conservancy Bill should be re-draft-ed to suit the altered conditions, and that powers should be sought to vest the Estuary in a Board of Control representing the City Council, the New Brighton and Sumner Borough Councils, and the lleathcote County Council. Captain A. W. Owles seconded the motion. Mr Clyde Carr said that the Heathcote, as well as the Avon, should be beautified. Other bodies as well as the City Council, should be represented on the new board. Mr Peter Trolove said that, during the. past few years, the estuary -had improved. Sea-side estuaries were healthy places to live beside. The motion was carried unanimously.