WANGANUI RIVER TRUST.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17570, 14 May 1919, Page 3

WANGANUI RIVER TRUST.

ANNUAL .REPORT.

Following is the Annual Report for the year ended March 31st, 191'J •. Members.—Messrs. I. I). Cummins ■ Goit. Nominee) Chairman; T. B. Williams, Alfred Burnett and*J. W. Burnet (elected by t\w Ratepayers of Wan. ganui) , Tho:>. Hine (Chairman Wanganui County Council) ; Donald Ross (Chairman Waitotara County Council) ;_ L. E. Bassett (President Chamber of Comnercc) • C. K. Mackay (Mayor ot Wanganui). G. V*. Pearco (M.P. for Pato;i) ~jl ti -\v. A. Witch (M.l*, lor Wanganui.) In piesenting my Annual Report 1 would stress the fact that it has been extremely dificult even with the high rate of wages obtaining, to get suitab.*? iabour- for the river improvement works j also, material such as rope, iron- 1 work, oil fuel, explosives and tools have ( been wry costly, no>doubt duo to war conditions. During the early part of the working season the flooded state o; the river precluded continuous work being efffxttod. Heavy raia bursts on two occasions caused considerable blocking of creeks and tributaries by immense quantities j of. timber, at tho mouths of the stivams: I In several cases tho creeks were blocked I lor a half-mile to a mile from the mouth j with thousands of ton's of wood, notably | at Te Ps;a. Kjiwaeroa, and Aliu-Ahu. j These blocks caused the streams to bs dammed up for miles, the heavy pressure and weight of water eventually bursting tin I)lock or dam, carrying ail before it, not only timber, but large boulders to the detriment of thy river channel by lodgment in shallow portions of the water way. During the past norkin/,'. season, quite tuo thirds of tho expenditure or, the river ;s chargeable to cleaning steamer channel due to the before ineniiuiie.i causes. It is worthy of note that before the opening up of lands tor sett'ement on' the immotiiate waterslu'd. the' conditions or tha river nfter heavy rains have undergone a. complete change. Prior to that period after a spell of wet weather the river would fall very gradually, no doubt owing to the undergrowth in the bush areas and mossy spongy nature of the surface holding the wte;- The foiling of bush and grassing thj lands no doubt being the" contributing factor to rapid rises, and slips bringing timber and boulders into the creeks, thence to the river—rapid riso after rain and corresponding rapid fall and lower water" in summer months nowobtained.

Since m v last Annual Report two punts have been added to the working plant.. Tho contract nrice for the hulls of tlio punts being £1072. Extras and designer's fees £360 4s. makino- a total paid out ol subsidy of £1132 4s. One jof the punts is fitted with a six h.p. Union Oil Engine hoist and mountings taken from one of the previously con— demnivl punts, the value of which is j £'3CO ].}<? lOd, while the second punt has j a triplicate gear hand winch and iron- ; work also taken from a condemned I pvnt the value of this being £50. There tore the total value of the two punts «nd equipment is £1798. It is absolutely necessary that the second punt should he equipped with a six h.p. oil engino hoist. Another motor canoe is also a pressing necessity. Tho working plant now'consists of 2 punts fitted with 6 h.p. oil engine hoists, 1 punt with hand wind), I launch for towing fitted with 45 h.p. oil engine, and 1 motor canoe with b h.p. engine, all in good order. The permanent improvement works completed during the working season are as follows: —Stone wall for groyne /it Komako No. 58 (see the late Mr. J. T. Stewart's map of Wanganui River 1903) cost for labour, oil fuel and towmg punt £84. This wall is 70 feet by 10 feet at base and 6 feet on top with an average depth of 6 feet. Ruangarahu, No. 84: £200 19s. 736 ft long" x 7 feet base x 6 feet top x 3 feet deep. Parangarabu, No. 211. 100 feet x 7 feet x 3 feet, £]3o 9s. The other work comprises repairs to wire, net wall -md removing snags, timber, and boulder:, from No. -1 (Junction of th« Ongarue and Wanganui Rivers) to No. 4, and clearing the channel of timber snags and boulders to 58, clearing bonldavs to 84 inclusive; and from Houseboat No. 90 to IS9 inclusive, constructing r.<?mporary channel .between 189 a.nd -.90, and snagging and clearing timber and bonldera at 205, 206, 212. 213, 220. 221 to 224. The total cost of snagging and clearing timber and boulders is for labour, oil fuel and explosives, £832 ls 9d which added to ihe cost of the threo stone walls previously mentioned nmLvs a total of £1250 9s. To this'should bo added 20 per cent, to rover contingency : wear and depreciation of ph'it, rope tools and general working ex>c ises or a. grand total of £1500.

It is satisfactory to be aVt to s:^v that the launch and steamer tra'lto '-r a dsitance of 144 miles from Tacnj.irunui had been uninterrupted ivitli tne exception of two or three rci-^sions when the river was in flood am! the quantity of drifting timber urn?.: ravigation impossible. The j-teanM* ay.d launcii proprietors, however, itest-ive credit for their efforts to 'Tninlam Ontraffic during low river, under, at twres, difficult conditions.

T. D. CUM Vim, Chairman