WANGANUI RIVER

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16046, 23 March 1920, Page 7

WANGANUI RIVER

IMPROVING THE CHANNEL,

WORK OP THE RIVER TRUST. The following is the report of tho chairman, Mr T. D. Cummins, of a visit of inspection by the Rivet Trust to the scenes of its operations: BELOW PIPIRIKX. Accompanied by Messrs Veitch, M.P., and J. H. Burnet, members of the Trust, and Mr A. Burgess (Hatrick and Co.), I left on a visit of inspection of, the river on February 7th, the weather and conditions of river being favourable, arriving at Pipirikl at (3 p.m. On the following day we went down stream to Te Puha No. 200 to see the working of a scoop dredge for picking boulders and shingle from the rivet bed with a view of improving the channel. The dredge did not come up to the requirements desired, and it was decided to place steel teeth at intervals on the rim of the scoop with the object of loosening the boulders imbedded in the sb ingle. This alteration was effected in Wanganui, and by a trial and some further alterations in the set of the teeth, it proved more satisfactory; however, a rapid rise in the river occurred, preventing any further trial. “The following morning we left Pipiriki for the houseboat. It had rained heavily during the night, also on the journey up stream, and we met a rising and discoloured river. At Opihak (between Noe. 189 and 190) we found this wall proving up to expectations, although some shingle deposited at the tail will require removal later by blasting or dredging. “At Otahua No. 108 the stone wall recently erected there was just awash. The captain of the river steamer, however, said that the wall was doing splendid work and had much improved the shallow extending for nearly a mile up stream. The foreman in charge of No. 1 punt, who had just completed Otahua, had shifted camp to Whakatara, and was commencing the erection of a stone wall at Whakatara No. 105. A supply of stone is available in the vicinity, but not enough to complete the work, and it is proposed to haul boulders out of Retaruke Stream with a wire rope and the punt's engine to complete the job. LANDINGS WANTED. “A party of returned soldier settlers on the boat returning to their holdings in tho Man gate te and Mangapnroa blocks complained of insufficient landmg accommodation; however, as Government and County Council roads come out at the river in these places, a- continuance of the road properly graded to the river should make excellent landings. “At Lacey's landing at Retaruke. we found the wharf had )>een badiv damaged bv a llood last year. The piles are, however, in tact, and the Trust’s foreman proposes to repair it with boulder*, gravel and cement; this work, however, must snand over till more ;m----poriant work on tho river is completed: these remarks also apply to Russell’s landing opposite Tawhata on the right, bank. ‘■Schfler-; in I!ie Mangaohotu (97) want a lauding badiv !l would I*', useless, however, lo ,nM-(ii:r| a la ndi tm down stream. If a bridge is const rue n".ii' ibe moT hj of the Mango hotu Sin an. a landing could be graded off till' cad to ilic river which would serve ’■ rs on both sides of the st re a m A LOVE m’IRLKT. “Tlii- i,blowing morning. 10th February. >hr river had risen two feet. Mr Vetch with fon man returned by lire down launch. Air Burnet and .-••if continuing our journey up .stream. The stone walls eoustnieied last, working season at, PeJiim.,ki mr liuangarahn No. 84) and No. .Vs Remake (N nku-Nuku) were covered. Nuku-Nuku was a very swift run with a nasty jobble of broken water; it was, lo.wcvt r. negotiated safely with the aid ul a, wnv rope and winch, Tho c-aplam of the launcn of this section of the. river described tho river channel a.s being good from Taumarunui to the houseboat, with the exception of a few places in low river, notably in the vicinity of No. 11 Kokirac. “Wo arrived at Taumarunni at 2.10 p.m. On arrival at the junction of the Wanganui and the Ongarue Rivers, we found the Wanganui normal, while the Ongarue was in hood. RECOMMENDATIONS. “Idle conclusion that Air Unmet and I arrived at was that the tirst section of the river, Wanganui to Pipiriki, requires considerable expenditure in clearing tho channel of boulders and timber deposited in flood time, the result of opening up the country for settlement, clearing bush lands and after heavy rains the blocking of rivers and creeks with timber, causing dams, and when these break owing to pressure, timber and large boulders are forced into a sometimes falling river in hug© quantities. And as owing to denudation ot timber and the lands being grassed the river falls more rapidly than formerly, floating timber from the upper reaches instead of being carried io sea is deposited at the mouths of creeks and in a wide shallow below Pipiriki. Tha second section, Pipiriki to the houseboat, is in good order, while the first section, houseboat to Taumarunui, is in better condition than it has been for years; alt any rate, this is the opinion given to us freely by the captains of the launches working these sections of tho river. TIMBER ACCUMULATING. “On 19th and 20th Febniary and a week later heavy rain caused a big rise in flic upper reaches and immense quan* titles of timber floated down, some to ■sea, while two large islands of accurair luted timber gathered at Te Puha and Ruapirau, both below Pipiriki, at the bitter place completely blocking traffic temporarily until a channel was cleared. As soon as conditions of river permitted the No. 3 punt, launch and party came down to Ruapirau, where they have been engaged clearing the obstructions. Tc Puha still remains to be attended to wbile> at Aim Ahu the old landing is completely blocked with timber, and tho ferry punt is stranded some feet above river level on the right bank of the river. “The conditions of river have been such during tho past three, weeks with freshets that crews of punts could only work intermittingly; however, the work is proceeding as rapidly as is possible. In the meantime the larger steamers arc unable to get pant Ruapirau, passengers and cargo having to be transferred to a launch there for Pipiriki and upper reaches.” T. D. CUMMINS, Chairman.