RIVER TRUST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19363, 21 July 1925, Page 10

RIVER TRUST

MEETING HELD YESTERDAY. A meeting of the River Trust was held yesterday, Mr. J. H. Burnet presiding. There were also present: Messrs Gregor McGregor, Campbell, D. . -I. Reardon, G. Manson, W. Brown, F. Langstone, H. P. and F. 11. Alien. EROSION AT MANUNUI. After a brief discussion upon reported erosion at Manunui, Mr. T. W. Downes was authorised to inspect the point in question, and make arrangements in regard to the matter with the Manunui Town Board. UP-RIVER WHARVES. | Mr. Gregor McGregor drew attention to the fact that, the wharves up-river (were in a bad state of repair, largely attributable, in his opinion, to the carelessness of the river service people. If only the skippers of the river boats would exercise a little more care when pulling into the landings, the wharves would give better service, he said. i It was decided to draw the attention ! of Messrs Hatrick and Coy. to the irt alitor with a view to having the trouble remedied. FENCING COVENANTS. Reference was made to the fencing covenants contained in the leases to settlers of several properties in the Trust’s area. The chairman pointed out that it was stipulated in the leases 'that the settlers had to erect fences at [their own expense, but in no case had the covenant been adhered to. The ; | provision was made in order to protect , I from damage by stock the scenic reI : serves adjoining leased properties. , ; The Department of Lands intimated > i that they were calling upon settlers to i j comply with the terms of their leases. The letter was received and the sec- . retary authorised to push the matter still further. SUPERVISOR’S REPORT. Some interesting observations were made by the supervisor (Mr. T. \V. Downes) re the flood experienced on June 25 last. His report read as follows: Since last meeting another high flood i has taken place. This was at Taumarujnui—11 inches higher than the 1913 | flood and was the highest since the I great flood of 1898. Op the lower river I it was not as high as the 1915 flood, the lower tributaries not contributing any great volume of water. No gear was lost. 'When the waters went down it 1 was found that several channels had , filled up with shingle and gangs were I [ immediately put on to blast tracks I through. Channels in the lower run • were not seriously damaged. The worst 1 i was Parangarahu where there is a bad I [swirl owing to the channel being on the I opposite side to the flood run. This! i was blasted out and the other shingle | deposits are gradually drifting away. On the middle run several bad deposits ■ of snags and shingle have taken place —notably at Matawhero, Opera hu, Horowhenua and Waihutupara. Tracks have been opened up through these I which should give fair passages till the : summer. At the top end from Otunui to Taumarunui, some J 4 miles, where the fall averages over 10ft. io the mile, thousands of yards of shingle have i shifted —in most cases where the chan . nels have been made opposite the flood run to avoid papa ledges. Aumaka and ' Ohinekoina filled right across and a! least 12 other places are piled- up. As [ far as can be seen no walls were broken except Horowhenua, where part of a wall was blasted away to let the boats through. A gang was placed on the top j run and these men are still at work. The wharf at Hiruharama was com pletely washed away and the semi-con-crete wharves at Ohuraiti and Kirikau ' both damaged. In consequence of this the suggested new wharf at Mangaohutu has been left in abeyance. Although the flood was higher than in 1915 at the top end it is satisfactory to know that less damage was done. The light suspension bridge to Winter’s Island, although covered, stood the strain chiefly on account of the Onga I rue backing up the Wanganui and so [reducing the velocity of the current. I Willows have fallen into the river in 1 many places only some of which have been removed. Repair work has gone forward as far as possible. A new bow’ piece has been put in the Pipiriki punt and the engine overhauled. The Pipiriki shed has also been painted. At Taumarunui the gear, machinery, canoe and punt with their engines have been done up and the Taumarunui shed also painted. All gear and plant is in fair order. A punt and canoe was lent to the Public Works Department at Taumarunui to pull the Taringamutu bridge to pieces. The report was received. DOMAIN BOARD. Mr. Downes, in his report to the Do- I main Board, stated: —We arc at present ! engaged in planting between 4000 and ‘ 5000 trees at Pukehinau. These are for the most part timber trees to be useful for piles and fences in the future with i ornamental trees on the prominent spurs j facing Pipiriki, otherwise we have j nothing to report. Mr. McGregor is as- ' sisting in this work.